India endured a disappointing opening day at the USD 2,000,000 China Masters as Devika Sihag and HS Prannoy both exited in the first round on Tuesday.
Devika fought hard in women’s singles but went down in three games, while Prannoy suffered a straight-game defeat in the men’s singles opening round, leaving India without a win from the two matches completed on Day 1.
Day 1 results: Devika pushed to three, Prannoy beaten in two
In the women’s singles opening round, Devika Sihag produced a spirited performance against Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan but could not get through after a tight three-game contest. Devika, the Thailand Open Super 300 champion, dropped the first game 19-21 before rallying to take the second 21-19 and level the match.
However, she was unable to maintain that momentum in the decider, with Ongbamrungphan closing out the match 21-13 to seal a 21-19, 19-21, 21-13 win (from Ongbamrungphan’s perspective) and send Devika out in the opening round.
Devika’s opponent entered the contest as World No. 20, underlining the level of challenge in the early rounds of a major event with a USD 2,000,000 prize purse. The narrow margins in the first two games highlighted how close the contest was before the third game swung decisively in the Thai player’s favour.
In men’s singles, HS Prannoy also bowed out in the opening round after a straight-game loss to Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao. Prannoy, a 2023 World Championships bronze medallist, was beaten 10-21, 14-21, with Leong taking control in both games to complete the win in two.
The two defeats meant a tough start for India at the China Masters, with both Devika and Prannoy unable to progress beyond their first matches of the tournament.
What’s next for India: Sindhu vs Hooda set for Wednesday
India’s focus now shifts to Wednesday, when PV Sindhu is scheduled to begin her campaign. The newly-crowned Japan Open winner will face compatriot Unnati Hooda, ensuring an all-Indian matchup in the women’s singles.
Elsewhere, Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty are also set to be in action as India looks to rebound after the opening-day exits for Devika and Prannoy.
With the tournament still in its early stages, the upcoming matches will be crucial for India’s hopes of making deeper runs at the China Masters following Tuesday’s first-round setbacks.
