Tokyo: India won and lost on the first day of the World Badminton Championship. In men’s singles, Commonwealth Games gold medalist Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth and Malayalee star HS Prannoy started with a win. While Indian teams advanced in women’s doubles and mixed doubles, B. Sai Praneeth lost in the first round in men’s singles and Malvika Bansod in women’s singles.
Lakshya Sen, the bronze medalist of the last championship, defeated Denmark’s senior player Hans Christian Wittingus in the first round. Score: 21-12, 21-11. Srikanth defeated Ireland’s Nutt Nguyen 22-20, 21-19 and Pranoi defeated Austria’s Luca Rabere 21-12, 21-11. Chou Tianchen of Chinese Taipei, the world number 4, defeated Sai Praneeth in the first round (21-15, 15-21, 21-15).
In women’s doubles, Ashwani Ponnappa-N. Sikki Reddy defeated Maldivian stars and sisters Aminath Nabiha-Fatima Naba. Score: 21-7, 21-9. In mixed doubles, Tanisha Crasto and Ishaan Bhatnagar defeated Germany’s Patrick Schiele and Franziska Walkman (21-13, 21-13). B in Men’s Doubles Sumeeth Reddy and Manu Atri lost in the first round. In women’s singles, Malavika Bansod lost to Denmark’s Lynn Christoffersen.
