India's Lakshya Sen crashed out of the Japan Open 2023 Super 750 badminton tournament after going down to fifth seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in a three-game thriller in the semi-finals on Saturday. With his dismissal, India's challenge in the tournament has finally ended.
World Championship 2021 bronze medalist and world No. 13 Lakshya lost to world No. 9 Christie 15-21 21-13 16-21. The match lasted one hour and six minutes. India's challenge at the Japan Open 2023 also ended with the ouster of 21-year-old Sen, who hails from Almora. Sen had won the Canadian Open Super 500 title earlier this month.
Both these players openly displayed their skills in this thrilling encounter. The Indonesian, however, made unforced errors early on which Sen took advantage of to take a 7-4 lead. The Indian player then made a couple of unforced errors which helped Christie level the score. Sen fired two smashes to take a two-point lead at the interval.
Sen rode on some brilliant smashes and drop shots to take a strong 11-5 lead after the interval in the second game. He played well after this as well and got seven-game points. With Christie's shot going out, he won the game and leveled the match. The deciding game also saw a thrilling contest between the two players but it was Christie who took control of the game and took an early 9-6 lead.
The Indonesian took a four-point lead at the interval on the back of two brilliant returns. Christie made it 19-15 with an accurate smash and then grabbed five match points. Sen saved a match point but then hit the net to give Christy a place in the Japan Open 2023 final.
Earlier, the in-form Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty had to face defeat in the Japan Open 2023 quarterfinals. With this, their winning streak of 12 consecutive matches also came to an end. The pair had a chance to win their third title in a row. While world number 10 HS Prannoy went down 19-21, 21-18, 21-8 to world number one Viktor Axelsen of Denmark.
24 medals for India at Japan Para Badminton International 2024
India concluded their campaign at the Japan Para Badminton International 2024 in Tokyo, with 24 medals, including six gold, nine silver, and nine bronze.
When the exclusion of badminton from the 2026 Commonwealth Games feels like unhealed pain for Indian badminton fans, the shuttles shine at the Japan ParaBadmintonInternational 2024 in Tokyo. India concluded their campaign with 24medals, including six gold, nine silver, and nine bronze.
Sivarajan Solaimalai defeated Chun Yim Wong of Hong Kong in straight games (21-16, 21-16), thus winning the gold medal in the men's single SH6 category.
Manisha Ramadass clinched the gold medal by defeating Japan's Mamiko Toyoda by 21-12, 21-18 in the SU5 women's singles category.
Sukant Kadam, however, defeated his contemporary Indian Tarun Dhillon by 21-12, 21-10 to win the gold in the SL4 Men's Singles Category.
Naveen Sivakumar and Surya Kant won the bronze medals.
Upset For Paralympic Champion Nitesh Kumar at the Japan ParaBadmintonInternational 2024
Japan's Fujihara Daisuke defeated Nitesh Kumar in a thrilling three-game contest in the final, with Kumar winning just one in the middle. The scoreboard says 16-21, 21-18, 19-21. Nitesh had to settle for silver
Hardik Makkar too received a silver medal after being defeated by Japan's Taio by 5-21, 19-21 in the SU5 Men's single final. Ruthik Raghupati won a bronze medal in this category.
The other silver came after Coraline Bergeron of France defeated Neeraj in the women's singles SL3 category final.
Hardik who failed in the SU5 Men's single, partnered with Ruthik and won gold by defeating the Indo-Polish duo Dev Rathi and Bartlomiej Mroz.
Umesh Vikram Kumar and Surya Kant Yadav won the gold medal in the SL3-SL4 men's double category by defeating their fellow Indians Sukant Kadam and Dinesh Rajaiah 21-5, 20-22, 21-16.
In the D SH6 category, Sudarsan Saravanakumar Mutusamy and Sivarajan Solaimalai won the gold medal.
Indian Badminton players struggle with the slow court: Here is why
Indian Badminton players even after dominating in the Asian countries fail repeatedly in countries like Europe and Olympic stages. What can be the underlying problem?
The contemporary Indian Badminton has so far gained the popularity in its country. However, certain issues need to be resolved. The biggest concern lies in the shuttlers facing a different environment in the non-Asian Countries. The major problem they face is the thick and slower court.
This issue had made India short of many assured medals by whiskers. Be it peak Kidambi Srikanth missing his World Title in 2017 to Reddy-Shetty failing in big tournaments.
How do Indian and Asian Courts differ from European Courts?
The Asian Summers
Speaking about the weather in the Asian summers, it is humid. The Asian stadia provide full on air-conditioned courts for athletes.
Air-conditioned rooms are marked favorable for shuttles, as the shuttles fly faster here. Here are the reasons:
Lower air density: Air conditioning reduces temperature and humidity, resulting in denser air with fewer air molecules. This decrease in air resistance allows shuttlecocks to travel faster.
Reduced air turbulence: Air conditioning systems circulate and filter the air, minimizing turbulence and air pockets that can slow down the shuttlecock.
Consistent airflow: Air conditioning maintains a consistent airflow, reducing unpredictable air currents that can affect shuttlecock trajectory.
Lower humidity: Dry air reduces the shuttlecock's drag coefficient, enabling it to fly faster.
This helps the athletes to maintain faster rallies and increased smashes with an attacking play. The also helps them to read the speed and work on their reaction time'
Added to this, the enhthralling supporters add more fuel to the pagddlers when tired.
European winters
European winters contradics the humid weather. Unlike the windy weather here, the air feels cal, slow and still.
Slow and still air significantly impacts shuttlers' performance, technique, and strategy. it included different physical challenges along with rectified techniques and strategies.
The challanges a shuttler faces due to these conditions are as follows:
Reduced shuttlecock speed: Slower reactions, less power.
Increased drag: Shuttles dip and drop unexpectedly.
Unpredictable trajectory: Difficulty judging distance and direction.
Fatigue: Players expend more energy to generate power.
However, these are the "negetives" bigger stages like Olympics, offer.
Slow court, A Bane to the Shuttlers
Here are some instances when paddles were denied their crown due to the courts' behaviour.
2017 Kidambi Srikanth, a fast court specialist in India missed his Worlds Title in the slow Glaswegian conditions. The slow pitch defied from the title as the Korean Son Wan-ho defeated him in the quarterfinal.
Tanvi Patri, a 13 year old rookie got defeated in Thailand's sluggish pitch last December. The thick air denied her speed, showing a red alert that she needs to gain some strength.
And the most discussed duo- Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty. Right now, Reddy-Shetty is the finest doubles player in Indian Badminton periphery. Reddy still has his world fastest smash of 493km/hr. Even then, this duo cannot assert full power in slow court. And thus, they lost a few of the most serious and well-deserved titles.
Demands of Sluggish Pitches
Slow and still air significantly impacts shuttlers' performance, techniques, and strategies. Someone who was been trained on faster courts will find it difficult to adapt to the conditions if exposed.
The shuttles face certain physical changes that are listed below:
Reduced shuttlecock speed: Slower reactions, less power.
Increased drag: Shuttles dip and drop unexpectedly.
Unpredictable trajectory: Difficulty judging distance and direction.
Fatigue: Players expend more energy to generate power.
An athlete thus needs to make a few technical adjustments to combat the challenges.
Slower stroke speed: Compensate for reduced shuttlecock speed.
Increased wristwork: Generate power and control.
Softer touches: Reduce shuttlecock's descent.
More spin: Control shuttlecock trajectory.
The strategic changes include:
Patient play: Waiting for opportunities to attack.
Defensive focus: Exploiting opponents' struggles.
Net play: Using precise, soft shots.
Angle play: Creating sharp angles to disrupt opponents.
Effects on a few notable Shots:
Smashes: Less effective due to reduced power.
Clear shots: More difficult to execute.
Drops: Harder to control.
Slow Court? Not an Issue!
Not an old story when Lakshya Sen lost to Victor Axelsen in the Olympics semi-final. Slower Courts like that in Europe, especially in stages like Olympics demand patience and exquisite footwork, with strong defence. Lakshya had his defence in the checklist, but his footwork was still a sore in his throat. The Denmark giant was a set ahead when Lakshya fought but lost to nerves.
The bronze medal match had all these including his exposed injury in his smashing hand. The defence he has can aid in this condition but muscular opponents are still a challange to him.
The other veteran on court H.S. Pranoy is a clever lad with versatile techniques. He has got his techniques handy to combat the sluggishness. He thus not only won in Malaysia, but has a Worlds medal round his neck.
Two-time Olympic medalist P.V. Sindhuwith her blazing power heft and work rate till 2019, defies these challanging conditions. The Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal with her sturdy power smash overshadowed her limitations in court coverage capabilities.
Indian Approach
India has a love for stroke-making. Even though it is aesthetically pleasing, it question the practicality in World Badminton.
With the October ticks in, the Europe session starts. The badminton camp then comes back and does a wide India-hoping, visiting smallcities playing number of tournaments! But how that that judge their efficiency in slow courts!
The slow courts host a major number of important international tournaments. With India not getting enough time their will never expire the frustration of them not getting medals.
Rookies like Priyanshu Rajawat will depend more on strokeplays like his ancestor Srikant used todo. Not failing the later, Rajawat will succumb to frustrating errors, missing points. Srikant had Son Wan-ho, but Rajawat will have way more equipped opponents- Kunlavut Vitidsarn and of Kodai Naraoka.
Its high time for Indian to spend more time on slow courts, count quality over quantity, in order to not miss any well deserved title in fututre,
BAI to give Rs 50 lakh cash rewards to Paris Paralympics 2024 medalists
Indian para-badminton players had won a total of five medals including one gold, two silver, and two bronze at the Paris Paralympics 2024. Gold medallists will be rewarded ₹15 lakh, while the silver medal winners will receive ₹10 lakh.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) announced a total cash award of Rs 50 lakh for the country's para-badminton players who won medals in the Paris Paralympics 2024 last month.
Indian para-badminton players had won a total of five medals including one gold, two silver, and two bronze at the Paris Paralympics 2024.
Nitesh Kumar, who won gold in the men's singles SL3 category, will get a prize of Rs 15 lakh. Silver medalists Suhas Yathiraj (men's singles SL4) and Thulasimathi Murugesan (women's singles SU5) will be given Rs 10 lakh each.
Bronze medal winners Manisha Ramadass (women's singles SU5) and Nithya Sre Sivan (women's singles SH6 category) will get Rs 7 lakh 50 thousand each. Thulasimathi, Manisha and Nithya created history by becoming the first Indian female badminton players to win a medal in the Paralympics.
BAI Secretary General Sanjay Mishra said, “Indian Para badminton players have been performing consistently on the world stage and the cash rewards are just one way for BAI to recognise their efforts in helping the country win medals at the Paralympics.”
“BAI is committed to developing and promoting para-badminton across the country and helping these players achieve much more success and many more initiatives to develop para-badminton are being undertaken,” He added.
In view of the players' busy tournament schedule, BAI will also organize a virtual interaction session with these players to congratulate them and understand their requirements for continued development.
PV Sindhu set to begin BWF campaign through Arctic Open
29-year-old PV Sindhu will be eyeing an end to her two-year-long title drought when she competes in the Arctic Open Super 500 Badminton tournament next month. She last won the Singapore Open tournament in 2022.
Leaving behind the disappointing campaign of the Paris Olympics 2024, veteran Indian female shuttler PV Sindhu is desperate to make a comeback on the badminton court after two months. Now Sindhu will compete in the Arctic Open BWF Super 500 tournament to be held in Finland from 8 to 13 October.
The two-time Olympic medalist has now shifted from Bengaluru to Hyderabad to train with Anup Sridhar. Earlier she was taking training from Prakash Padukone in Bengaluru. Currently, Anup will train PV Sindhu in Hyderabad and will also go to Finland with her.
During Sindhu's campaign in Europe, where she will also compete in the Denmark Open (October 15-20), Sridhar will be accompanying her. Sridhar will also oversee Sindhu's campaign during Asian tour events like Korea, Kumamoto and China Masters.
Returned home empty handed in Paris
Indian star shuttler may not have won a medal in Paris, but her next goal has been decided. Actually, Sindhu won silver medal in 2016 Rio Olympics and bronze medal in 2021 Tokyo Olympics. This happened for the first time in the Paris Games when Sindhu returned to the country without a medal. Her journey ended in the quarter finals itself.
29-year-old PV Sindhu will be eyeing an end to her two-year-long title drought when she competes in the Arctic Open Super 500 next month. She last won the Singapore Open tournament in 2022. She is currently at number 14 in the world ranking. Sindhu has no intention of retiring. Her next target is Asian Games 2026.
However, playing in the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 will depend on her fitness. Sindhu will turn 33 by the Los Angeles Olympics. It is not easy to win an Olympic medal at the age of 33 in a sport like badminton.
China Open 2024: Malvika Bansod enters Super 1000 quarterfinals for the first time by defeating top seed Kirsty Gilmour
The 23-year-old badminton player achieved this victory a day after defeating the Paris Olympics 2024 bronze medalist Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia. However, Malvika Bansod is the only Indian shuttler left in the competition.
Indian badminton player Malvika Bansod continued her brilliant form and entered the Super 1000 quarter-finals for the first time by winning a tough match against her higher ranked opponent Kirsty Gilmour at the China Open 2024 in Changzhou on Thursday.
Malvika Bansod, BWFranking 43rd, toiled hard for one hour and five minutes before defeating two-time Commonwealth Games medalist and world number 25 Gilmour of Scotland 21-17 19-21 21-16 in the women's singles round-of-16 match.
Earlier defeated Paris Olympics bronze medalist
The 23-year-old player achieved this victory a day after defeating the Paris Olympics 2024 bronze medalist Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia.
However, Malvika Bansod, the only Indian shuttler left in the competition, faces a tough challenge as she will face fourth seed and two-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the last eight stage.
Although the Japanese shuttler has won both the matches against Malvika, the Indian shuttler came close to defeating Yamaguchi and she is hopeful that she will be able to register victory this time.
Malvika's sensational performance in pre-quarterfinals
In the opening game against Gilmour, Malvika was down 11-5 at the break. The Indian shuttler brought down the deficit to two points at 16-14 and then won seven of the next eight points to go one game up in the contest. Gilmour, drew on her experience to mount a comeback and close a tight second game.
Malvika surged to an eight-point lead at 10-2 in the decider. She later extended her advantage to 20-11. Gilmour fought back with five consecutive points to make it 20-16 but the late fightback proved too little for Malvika, who comfortably sealed her spot in the quarter-finals.