HS Prannoy Rises from the Brink, Lakshya Sen Falls Short in Emotional Day for Indian Badminton at China Open 2025
Beijing — While fellow Olympian Lakshya Sen and a number of other athletes suffered heartbreaking exits at the China Open 2025, Indian shuttler HS Prannoy made one of the most emotional comebacks of his career on a day when emotions were running high at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium.
Renowned for his persistence and determination, the 35th-ranked HS Prannoy once again demonstrated why he is still one of India’s most respected badminton players. In the first game, Prannoy lost 8-21 to Koki Watanabe of Japan, who is ranked 18th in the world and is a rising force. He wouldn’t give up, though.
A master class in resilience ensued. Before pulling off an incredible comeback in the decisive match, Prannoy fought back into the match with a resounding 21-16 victory in the second game. The Indian shuttler saved five match points while trailing 2-11 at the half and then 15-20, one point from defeat. With a thrilling final score of 23–21, he pulled victory out of the jaws of defeat and defeated Watanabe for the first time in less than an hour.
“Badminton wasn’t the only game played in this match. After the game, a visibly emotional Prannoy stated, “It was about belief.” “Something inside of me just kept pushing even though there were times when everything felt lost.”
On the other hand, the tournament started with hope and ended with heartbreak for Lakshya Sen, the nation’s best prospect and a semifinalist in Paris 2024. Lakshya easily won the first game 21–14 against Li Shifeng, the world No. 5 from China. However, things changed. He lost 24–22 in the second game because he was unable to close it out, even though he had two match points. Lakshya lost 21-11 in the decider after struggling to find his rhythm.
It served as a sobering reminder of the thin lines in competitive sports and the psychological burden that young athletes bear.
In another match, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Hsiang-Ti defeated India’s Anupama Upadhyaya, who displayed moments of genius in her women’s singles opening match. She battled back 21–11 after losing the first game by a slim margin, but she lost the third game.
Hard-fought matches also saw Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh lose, as did Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Gadde in mixed doubles. Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien of Malaysia defeated Kapoor and Gadde in a close three-setter, while Indonesia’s top pair easily defeated Surya and Pramuthesh in straight games.
China Open 2025: An Overview of India’s First Day’s Travels:
Male Singles
Koki Watanabe (JPN) defeated by HS Prannoy 21-16, 23-21, and 8-21
Li Shifeng defeated Lakshya Sen (CHN). 21-11, 24-22, and 14-21
Single Women
Lin Hsiang-Ti (TPE) defeated Anupama Upadhyaya in mixed doubles 21-23, 21-11, and 21-10.
Wong Tien Ci / Lim Chiew Sien (MAS) defeated Rohan Kapoor / Ruthvika Gadde 25-27, 21-16, 21-14.
Rehan Kusharjanto / Gloria Widjaja (INA) defeated Ashith Surya / Amrutha Pramuthesh 21-12, 21-17.
The spirit of Indian athletes was evident despite the scoreboard’s mixed results; some were winning, while others were learning, but they were all giving it their all on the court. Along with the aspirations of winning a medal, HS Prannoy is carrying the unspoken power of a team that will not give up.
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