(Image Credit: Lakshya Sen via Instagram)
The Japan Open Kumamoto Masters Super 500 tournament marks a big opportunity for Indian badminton players Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy to regain their lost ground and start afresh. Lakshya, who is seeded seventh and who has just come back from the Paris Olympics with a fourth place finish, has had a mixed bag of performances but has also recently occupied the second spot at the Hong Kong Open and then reached the quarter-finals in Denmark and Hylo. On the other hand, Prannoy, the bronze medallist from the 2023 World Championships, has suffered setbacks due to injuries and sickness including chikungunya and is starting this tournament against Malaysia’s Jun Hao Leong with a hope to find his momentum again.
The young chargers behind them share the same objective and are also highly supported by the promising younger Indian players who are already more than ready to prove their potential through results. The recent US Open winner, Ayush Shetty, who is among them, will be up against the top seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Tharun Mannepalli and Kiran George are also to engage Jeon Hyeok Jin and a qualifier respectively. Thus, the Indian team is a combination of experienced players who are looking for a comeback and fresh talents who are in search of their first victory, both groups working together for the same goal in the men’s singles section to create a wave of momentum.
The situation is encouraging, but not easy, with the hardships of draws and the heights of expectation. In the case of Lakshya, taking on Japan’s world number 25 Koki Watanabe is tough even though he is seeded higher. For Prannoy, the time away and prior injury mean that physical condition and match touch will be crucial considerations. India’s fortunes in the singles event at this tournament are going to be determined not only by how quickly the veterans can recover but also by how much the young players can handle making this tournament a crucial turning point in the run up to bigger events.
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