Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth and the women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand achieved victory and advanced to the quarter-finals of the Macau Open 2024 badminton tournament. Srikanth overcame Ayush Shetty in a competitive match, while Jolly and Gopichand triumphed over a newly formed Taiwanese duo. India faced early exits in women’s singles and mixed doubles, with several top players not competing in the tournament.

In the ongoing Macau Open 2024 badminton tournament, esteemed former world No. 1 men’s singles player Kidambi Srikanth, alongside the accomplished women’s doubles duo of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, successfully advanced to the quarter-finals on Thursday. Competing in the men’s singles, Srikanth, currently ranked 38th in the badminton world rankings, encountered a challenging match against 57th-ranked Ayush Shetty. Both players exhibited competitiveness, with Ayush initially taking a 5-3 lead in the opening game. Undeterred, Srikanth swiftly regained control, establishing a three-point margin at the mid-game interval before securing the first game with a decisive score of 21-13. The second game proved equally intense, featuring a tied score of 9-9 at one point. However, Ayush executed a formidable four-point surge, prompting a 15-10 lead. Nevertheless, Srikanth showcased resilience by clinching 11 out of the next 14 points to win the match in 37 minutes with a final score of 21-18. As the sixth seed in this BWF Super 300 tournament, Srikanth is set to face the second-seeded Angus Ng Ka Long from Hong Kong, China, on Friday, vying for a spot in the semi-finals. This marks Srikanth’s return to international competition following an unfortunate retirement due to injury at the Singapore Open in May. Although he reached the semi-finals in a prior event, the Swiss Open, he has faced difficulties in maintaining consistent performance throughout the year, often exiting in early rounds. In women’s doubles category, the duo of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who were bronze medalists at the Commonwealth Games, also punched their ticket to the quarter-finals. The Indian pair, currently ranked 23rd in the world, triumphed over the new pairing of Chih Chun Lin and Chun Hsun Teng from Chinese Taipei, wrapping up the match with a score of 22-20, 21-11 in 38 minutes. However, India’s prospects in women’s singles and mixed doubles came to an end in the round of 16. Tasnim Mir, a former junior world No. 1, succumbed to Japan’s fourth-seed Tomoka Miyazaki, the 2022 junior world champion, in a fiercely-contested match concluding at 21-17, 13-21, 21-10 over 52 minutes. Meanwhile, the mixed doubles team of B Sumeeth Reddy and N Sikki Reddy was defeated by Malaysia’s Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sien with a score of 21-17, 21-14 in a duration of 34 minutes. Importantly, many Indian badminton athletes who participated in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, including PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, did not enter the Macau Open. The tournament is set to conclude on Sunday.

The Macau Open is a prestigious event in the badminton calendar, attracting top talent from around the world. The 2024 edition of the tournament highlights the return of notable Indian players, particularly Kidambi Srikanth, who has been working to regain form following an injury. The presence of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand in women’s doubles exemplifies the strength of Indian badminton on an international stage. Despite challenges faced by other Indian competitors, the performances in the quarter-finals mark significant progress for those advancing to the next stages.

In conclusion, the Macau Open 2024 has showcased the resilience and skill of Kidambi Srikanth and the impressive performance of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand as they advance to the quarter-finals. Their achievements highlight the competitive spirit of Indian badminton, despite the early exits of several other athletes. As the tournament progresses, fans look forward to the upcoming matches and the potential for further success from these accomplished players.

Original Source: olympics.com

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