India’s campaign at the Japan Open 2024 Badminton Tournament ended after Sathish Kumar Karunakaran was eliminated in the round of 16 of the men’s singles in Yokohama on Thursday.
Karunakaran, ranked 47th in the badminton rankings, lost to world number one Kantaphon Wangcharoen from Thailand in one hour and 10 minutes with 21:18, 18:21 and 8:21.
Wangcharoen took a 10-4 lead in the first game. Kantaphon had the opening game well under control, but the Indian badminton player made a comeback and scored eight points in a row after trailing 18:13 at one point.
In the second game, Karunakaran went into halftime with an 11-9 lead. He had a four-point lead at 15-11, but the Thai badminton player won 10 of the next 13 points to force a deciding set.
In the final game, Wangcharoen put in a dominant performance, building a 13-3 lead and then controlling the match to secure his place in the quarterfinals.
On Wednesday, Karunakaran advanced to the quarterfinals after his opponent, Denmark’s Anders Antonsen (world number 3), withdrew from the match due to injury.
Karunakaran was the only Indian badminton player in the ten-member group to reach the round of 16 at the BWF Super 750 event in Japan.
Three challengers in the women’s singles – Malvika Bansod, Ashmita Chaliha and Aakarshi Kashyap – were eliminated after losing their respective first-round matches. Kiran George in the men’s singles suffered the same fate.
In the mixed doubles, Commonwealth Games medallists B Sumeeth Reddy and N Sikki Reddy retired from their opening match due to an injury sustained during the match. Karunakaran, who competed in the mixed doubles with Aadya Variyath, also bowed out in the first round.
The Panda sisters Rutuparna and Swetaparna were also eliminated in the first round of the women’s doubles.
India’s seven-member badminton team competing at Paris 2024, including PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, did not participate in the Japan Open.
The Indian badminton players will now be seen in action at the Korea Open BWF Super 500 to be held in Seoul next week.
