Kidambi Srikanth edged past HS Prannoy in straight games, winning 23-21, 23-21 in the first round at the Swiss Open super 300, on Wednesday. The former world No. 1 held his nerve in crucial moments to extend his head-to-head record against Prannoy to 7-3 in international competitions.
The match, lasting 48 minutes, saw Srikanth capitalize on key points to clinch both games in his favor. With this win, the 32-year-old moves into the second round, where he will face China’s Shi Feng Li, who comfortably defeated Kantaphon Wangcharoen 21-13, 21-10 in his opening match.
Meanwhile, a major upset unfolded in women’s singles as Isharani Baruah, ranked 78th in the world, outlasted compatriot Aakarshi Kashyap in a marathon encounter. Baruah came from behind to secure a hard-fought 18-21, 21-17, 22-20 victory over the higher-ranked Kashyap in a contest lasting 68 minutes. She now faces China’s Qian Xi Han in the next round.
Mixed Results for Indian Shuttlers
In men’s singles, Shankar Subramanian showcased his dominance with a commanding 21-5, 21-16 win over Magnus Joahnnsen, progressing to the next round in just 38 minutes. However, Ayush Shetty’s campaign ended in disappointment as he fell 15-21, 19-21 to Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto.
In women’s singles, Malvika Bansod fought hard but eventually succumbed to Canada’s world No. 20 Michelle Li in a three-game battle (22-20, 14-21, 19-21). Rakshitha Ramraj also bowed out after losing 11-21, 17-21 to Denmark’s Line Christophersen.
The mixed doubles event saw India’s Asith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh struggle against China’s Yi Jun Zhu and Chi Zhang, suffering a one-sided 10-21, 9-21 defeat.
