Vitidsarn Outclasses Lakshya Sen to End India’s Singles Run at Thailand Open

Kunlavut Vitidsarn’s relentless defence once again proved decisive as Lakshya Sen exited the Thailand Open Super 500 on Friday, ending India’s singles campaign at the tournament.

The World No. 2 held his nerve in crucial moments to defeat Lakshya 21-19, 21-16 in 53 minutes in a hard-fought quarter-final. Backed by a vocal home crowd, Vitidsarn showcased his trademark retrieval skills, absorbing Lakshya’s attacking bursts and extending rallies until errors crept in from the Indian. The Thai shuttler’s consistency under pressure ultimately made the difference in a contest defined by momentum swings.

Lakshya endured a difficult start, falling behind 2-11 in the opening game. However, he responded with intent, mixing sharp net play, deceptive touches, and aggressive smashes to claw his way back into contention. His fightback narrowed the gap to just one point, briefly shifting pressure onto Vitidsarn.

Despite the recovery, the Thai held firm to take the opening game 21-19 after 25 minutes of intense exchanges. In the second game, Lakshya struggled to maintain control as unforced errors mounted, particularly on the slower side of the court. His attacking attempts often missed the mark, either finding the net or drifting long.

Vitidsarn capitalised efficiently, maintaining defensive discipline and forcing extended rallies that gradually wore the Indian down. He closed out the second game 21-16 to secure a straight-games victory.

With Lakshya’s defeat, India’s singles challenge ended, following PV Sindhu’s earlier loss to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi.

Satwik-Chirag cruise into semi-finals

Earlier in the day, top-seeded Indian men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the semi-finals with a dominant 21-12, 21-13 win over Japan’s Takumi Nomura and Yuichi Shimogami in 41 minutes at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok.

The Asian Games champions made a flying start, racing to a 10-0 lead in the opening game. Although the Japanese pair briefly steadied themselves in the second game to level at 6-6, the Indians quickly regained control and maintained their dominance throughout.

Satwik and Chirag will now face third seeds Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin of Malaysia for a spot in the final.

Sindhu bows out after valiant effort

In women’s singles, PV Sindhu started strongly by taking the opening game 21-19 against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi but could not sustain the momentum. The Japanese star fought back to win the next two games 21-18, 21-15 in a 70-minute battle, ending India’s singles hopes in the women’s draw as well.