Double blow for India as Lakshya Sen follows PV Sindhu out of Singapore Open

Lakshya Sen bowed out of the Singapore Open after a gruelling three-game quarterfinal defeat to Japan’s Koki Watanabe on Friday.

The Indian shuttler went down 19-21, 21-15, 15-21 in a physically demanding contest at the BWF Super 750 tournament. The defeat came shortly after PV Sindhu suffered a straight-games loss to world number one An Se-young in the women’s singles quarterfinals, marking another setback for India’s singles campaign.

Despite the singles exits, India enjoyed success in the doubles categories. The men’s doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the semifinals, while the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also progressed.

Lakshya and Watanabe were locked in an intense battle from the opening game, with long rallies dominating the contest. The Japanese shuttler edged the first game 21-19 after capitalising on crucial points late in the set. Lakshya responded strongly in the second game, taking control of the rallies with greater aggression and precision. The Indian looked sharper in attack and comfortably sealed the game 21-15 to force a decider.

However, the momentum shifted in the final game as fatigue appeared to affect Lakshya’s movement. Watanabe extended rallies and kept the Indian constantly moving across the court, gradually building control of the contest.

The Indian shuttler also required medical attention for discomfort in his leg during the decider. Although Lakshya attempted to mount a comeback, Watanabe maintained his advantage and closed out the third game 21-15 to secure a semifinal berth.

India’s doubles campaign, however, continued to provide optimism. Satwik and Chirag produced another strong display to move into the last four, while Dhruv and Tanisha advanced after their opponents — reigning world champions Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei — retired during the match.

With both Sindhu and Lakshya out of the singles draw, India’s hopes at the Singapore Open now rest on its doubles contenders.