All England Championship: Lakshya, Tanisha-Ashwini cruise into pre-quarterfinals
World Championship bronze medallist shuttler Lakshya Sen reached the second round with a commanding straight-game win over.
Denmark’s Magnus Johannesen at the All-England Championships on Wednesday. Lakshya will take on world No.3 Anders Antonsen in the next round of the BWF Super 1000 tournament.
In the women’s doubles event, Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa secured victory over Yeung Nga Ting and Yeung Pui Lam for the second time within a month. Crasto and Ponnappa have advanced to the second round with a commanding 21-13, 21-18 win. The Indian duo will face the formidable Chinese fifth seeds, Zhang Shu Xian and Zheng Yu in the next round.
Meanwhile, Priyanshu Rajawat faced an early exit from the tournament following a hard-fought battle against Indonesia’s Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo, resulting in a 19-21, 21-11, 9-21 loss in the opening round.
In their opening women’s doubles match, Crasto and Ponnappa displayed a dominant performance, defeating the Hong Kong pair of Yeung Nga Ting and Yeung Pui Lim 21-13, 21-18 in a match that lasted 36 minutes. Similarly, Sen showcased his prowess by securing a 21-14, 21-14 win over his Danish opponent Magnus Johannesen in 40 minutes.
Throughout the match, Crasto and Ponnappa demonstrated excellent coordination, with Ponnappa strategically managing the backline while Crasto maintained control of the net, resulting in numerous errors from their opponents.
Despite a slight challenge from their opponents, Crasto and Ponnappa maintained their composure, clinching the first game 21-13. The second game saw a more competitive exchange, with the Hong Kong pair pushing the Indians to their limits. However, Crasto and Ponnappa capitalized on crucial points, eventually sealing the victory with a scoreline of 21-13, 21-18, after a brief spell of resistance from their opponents.
Sen and Johannesen maintained parity, with the score tied at 8-all in the first half. Sen then surged ahead with a four-point streak, utilizing a combination of net play and powerful smashes that kept the Danish shuttler on the back foot. Johannesen was frustrated while Sen appeared composed and in control, securing three consecutive points on two separate occasions to seal the opening game 21-14.
The second game saw Sen taking an early lead of 7-2, asserting his dominance over the exchanges and preventing Johannesen from gaining momentum. Despite a brief resurgence from Johannesen, Sen maintained his composure and entered the mid-game interval with a lead of 11-8.
Throughout the game, Sen continued to employ the same tactics that served him well in the first game, ultimately closing out the match with a similar scoreline of 21-14, 21-14, securing his spot in the second round.