TOKYO: India’s Commonwealth Video games badminton bronze medalist Kidambi Srikanth used to be surprised via unseeded Zhao Junpeng in the second one spherical of the arena championships in Tokyo on Wednesday. Quantity 12 seed Srikanth, the silver medalist eventually yr’s international championships, misplaced 21-9, 21-17 to China’s Zhao, his second-game comeback falling away on the end.
Srikanth, a part of India’s Thomas Cup-winning workforce in Would possibly, mentioned he “will have possibly performed higher” however used to be no longer as scientific as his opponent. “He simply performed smartly when it in reality mattered,” mentioned the previous international primary. “I had my possibilities in the second one set and if I will have gained it, the rest will have came about within the 0.33 set. “It’s as regards to successful the issues when it in reality issues and I believe he performed in reality smartly within the final phases of the second one set,” the 29-year-old added.
Antonsen crashes out
In the meantime, third-seeded Anders Antonsen crashed out within the first spherical of badminton’s international championships in Tokyo on Monday however top-ranked fellow Dane Viktor Axelsen used to be a ruthless winner. The 2019 international silver-medalist Antonsen fell at the back of early and not controlled to get a foothold in a 21-15, 21-19 loss to Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto.
The 25-year-old Antonsen used to be enjoying his first aggressive fit in 3 months after pulling an belly muscle in Would possibly and mentioned it “felt a little bit odd simply to unexpectedly be on courtroom once more”. “I felt like I performed higher and higher and it used to be a disgrace that I didn’t make the comeback in the second one recreation, I used to be so shut,” mentioned Antonsen, who had fended off 4 fit issues. “It’s my first fit in a very long time so I simply want to get again to pageant. Lately used to be the start.” Axelsen lived as much as his billing as the arena’s primary with an easy 21-16, 21-12 win over Malaysia’s Daren Liew.
Axelsen used to be happy to securely negotiate his well past the arena quantity 29. “Each and every first spherical is at all times difficult. Daren is an skilled opponent, he’s a in reality excellent participant when he performs smartly,” mentioned Axelsen. “I in reality needed to step up in large portions of the sport these days and I’m in reality glad about how I controlled to maintain the whole lot.” China’s Shi Yuqi returned to motion for the primary time in 10 months after serving a ban and beat Azerbaijan’s Ade Resky Dwicahyo 22-20, 21-10.
Shi, a global finalist in 2018, retired throughout a 2021 fit in opposition to Japan’s Kento Momota and used to be banned via the Chinese language Badminton Affiliation for making “irrelevant feedback” about his withdrawal. He mentioned he “felt a little bit fearful” as he entered the courtroom to stand Dwicahyo however “felt excellent to be enjoying once more” as soon as he had settled into the fit. “It without a doubt feels so much other,” mentioned the 26-year-old. “While you’re enjoying in coaching it’s so much other from enjoying tournaments.” – AFP