Satwik-Chirag advance, Sindhu exits in China Masters

India had a difficult start to the second round of the China Masters Super 740 badminton tournament, with a handful of players exiting, including singles ace P V Sindhu. Anupama Upadhyaya, Malvika Bansod, and the doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also bowed out.

Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu lost to Singapore's Yeo Jia Min 16-21 21-17 21-23. In the opening round, Sindhu had earlier got the better of the higher-ranked Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-17 21-19.

While Anupama lost 7-21 14-21 against Japan's Natsuki Nidaira, Malvika was thrashed 9-21 9-21 by eight-seeded Supanida Katethong of Thailand. The No. 18 pair of Treesa and Gayatri was no match for the second-seeded Chinese pair of Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, losing 16-21 11-21 in just 43 minutes.

However, ace doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated Denmark's Rasmus Kjaer and Frederik Soggard 21-19, 21-15 in their pre-quarterfinals. The Asian Games gold medal-winning Indian duo was returning to action after a break following the Paris Olympics.

India's singles challenge now rests on Lakshya Sen, who will play Denmark's Rasmus Gemke in the men's second round.