Day 2 of the India Open 2025 promised to be a thrilling affair as enthusiastic crowds filled in at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall in Delhi. Fans were eager to watch their favourite stars, including H.S. Prannoy, Lakshya Sen and international sensation Viktor Axelsen. However, the day ended in disappointment as most of the country’s top players bowed out in the first round of the tournament.
Early-exit for Prannoy
After an impressive semi-final run at the India Open 2024, expectations were high as Prannoy was making a comeback after a year of health challenges. However, the fan favourite lost in the Round of 32. Facing Taiwanese shuttler Su Li Yang, Prannoy started strong, claiming the first game 21-16 in a closely contested battle, but Yang took the second game 21-18 and dominated the decider 21-12 to seal a stunning 16-21, 21-18, 21-12 victory.
“These last few days were tough but it’s getting better. It’s going to be a tough challenge for me to constantly play at the top level without any breaks. Everybody knows what had happened throughout the year but post Chikungunya it was tough to come back to normal,” Prannoy reflected on his health struggles after the match.
Lakshya’s struggles with consistency continue
The 23 year-old’s campaign came to an early end as he suffered a straight-game loss against Taiwanese shuttler Chun Yi. Laskhya lost complete control of the match as he went down in the first game 15-21 and couldn’t make a comeback in the second, losing 10-21. Yi completely dominated the match, leaving Lakshya with no room to make an entry into the game.
“I couldn’t really play my game, overall the movements were slow and I couldn’t get the shuttle to connect well. I had prepared really well against him but today was a day where I could’t find my grip. I could have played more patiently,” Lakshya reflected on the match. “I will play the Indonesia Masters next.”
Ponnappa-Crasto only silver lining
In an overall disappointing day for the Indian contingent there was a glimmer of hope as Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto won against compatriots Radhika Sharma and Kavya Gupta 21-11, 21-12. Their win was one of the very few positives in an otherwise challenging day for India.
Rajawat’s fight in vain
In another intense match, 22-year-old Priyanshu Rajawat gave a strong performance but ultimately lost to Japan’s Kodai Naraoka. Rajawat lost the first game 16-21, made a comeback in the second 22-20, but lost control and lost the third game 13-21. Even though Rajawat faced a first round exit, his efforts on the court were widely appreciated.
While Day 2 had a sombre ending for Indian fans, the action is far from over. All attention will now be on PV Sindhu and the star duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty to put their best foot forward tomorrow. With high hopes from these stars, fans will look forward to an exciting Day 3.
The post India Open 2025: Disappointing Day 2 for Indian Fans as Top Stars Crash Out appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports.
