China Open: Lakshya, Sindhu and Ayush Shetty Advance to Second Round After Gritty Wins

Changzhou (China), July 2026 : India’s top badminton stars Lakshya Sen, P.V. Sindhu and Ayush Shetty battled through challenging opening-round encounters to secure places in the second round of the China Open on Wednesday, keeping the country’s hopes alive in the prestigious BWF World Tour event.

All three Indian singles players displayed remarkable resilience by winning their matches in three games, overcoming strong opposition to progress to the pre-quarterfinal stage. While Lakshya Sen survived a tough test against Japan’s Yushi Tanaka, Sindhu continued her impressive run of form with a victory over fellow Indian Unnati Hooda, and Ayush Shetty produced one of the biggest upsets of the day by defeating Indonesia’s World No. 11 Alwi Farhan.

Lakshya Sen fought his way past Japan’s Yushi Tanaka in an intense contest that lasted three games. The Indian edged a closely fought opening game 22-20 before Tanaka responded by taking the second game 21-15. Refusing to lose momentum, Lakshya rediscovered his rhythm in the deciding game, combining aggressive attacking strokes with disciplined defence to register a 22-20, 15-21, 21-14 victory and advance to the last 16.

The win further underlined Lakshya’s fighting spirit as he continues his quest for another strong performance on the BWF World Tour after an encouraging season.

Two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu also maintained her winning momentum following her title-winning campaign at last week’s Japan Open. Facing rising Indian teenager Unnati Hooda, Sindhu began confidently by taking the opening game 21-14. However, Hooda mounted an impressive comeback to dominate the second game 21-9 and force a decider.

The experienced Sindhu responded like a champion, quickly regaining control of the match with sharp attacking play and superior court coverage. She comfortably wrapped up the deciding game 21-10 to complete a 21-14, 9-21, 21-10 victory in 56 minutes.

The result also carried added significance for Sindhu, who avenged her defeat to Hooda at the same tournament last year. Having suffered an upset loss against the youngster in the previous edition, Sindhu ensured history did not repeat itself by producing a composed performance under pressure.

The victory sets up a blockbuster second-round clash against China’s fourth-seeded former Olympic champion Chen Yufei. Sindhu will head into the contest with confidence after defeating Chen during her successful campaign at the Japan Open, where she ended a prolonged title drought.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Ayush Shetty continued his impressive rise on the international circuit with a memorable victory over Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan. The Indian overcame the World No. 11 and former World Junior champion 21-17, 5-21, 21-17 to book his place in the pre-quarterfinals.

Ayush started strongly, taking the opening game through disciplined attacking badminton and excellent shot placement. Farhan bounced back emphatically in the second game, dominating proceedings to level the contest. However, the young Indian showed remarkable composure in the deciding game, holding his nerve during crucial rallies before sealing one of the biggest wins of his senior career.

The victory also served as sweet revenge for Ayush, who had lost to Farhan in the semifinals of the 2023 BWF World Junior Championships. His performance against a higher-ranked opponent further highlights his growing potential on the senior international stage.

While India’s singles campaign enjoyed considerable success, the doubles events proved disappointing. In mixed doubles, Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde were outclassed by top seeds Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping of China in straight games. Another Indian mixed doubles pair, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, also bowed out after losing to China’s Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui.

India’s challenge in the men’s doubles competition also came to an early end as M.R. Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan were defeated by China’s fourth-seeded pair Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in straight games.

Despite the setbacks in doubles, India’s strong showing in the singles competition has kept hopes alive for a deep run at the China Open. With Lakshya Sen, P.V. Sindhu and Ayush Shetty advancing to the second round, Indian badminton fans will now look forward to another exciting day of action as the trio aims to continue their impressive campaigns against higher-ranked opponents in the tournament.

Team Maverick.