Kiran George secured a remarkable victory over world number 13 Toma Junior Popov of France to reach the quarter-finals of the men’s singles at the Hylo Open Super 500. Kiran, who is ranked 38th in the world, defeated the tournament’s eighth seed in a thrilling match to win 18-21, 21-18, 21-19. The performance marks his first Super 500 quarter-final appearance since the India Open earlier in the year and stands out as a major hurdle in the competition.
The match lasted 69 minutes and saw a remarkable comeback by Kiran. After losing the opening game and going 6-11 in the decisive third game, he showed composure and turned the result in his favor. The win is significant for Kiran, who is the son of former national champion George Thomas and trains at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy.
Throughout the competition, Kiran demonstrated his ability to react under pressure. The first game was even, but Popov led 21:18. In the second game, Kiran turned the tide and used a mistake to tie the match. Crucially, Popov pulled away early, but Kiran’s rally from 6-11 down proved decisive, clinching the game 21-19 and the match.
Kiran’s tactical choice, especially in the later stages, played a key role. Adjustments to shot selection and defensive positioning helped him withstand Popov’s attacks. The ability to stay patient and execute under high stakes was crucial in shifting the outcome of the match.
Popov, seeded eighth, entered as the favorite who regularly reached the latter stages of Super 500 events. However, Kiran’s focused approach and resilience prevented Popov from turning his lead into a decider. Kiran’s previous Super 100 titles at Odisha Open 2022 and Indonesia Masters 2023 provided the experience needed to overcome the tough moments.
With this result, Kiran will next face either second seed Jonatan Christie or Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yu Jen. The match represents an opportunity to follow up on his strongest Super 500 performance of the year.
In other results, Lakshya Sen advanced to the men’s singles quarterfinals by defeating S Subramanian 21-14, 21-11. In the women’s singles, Rakshitha Ramesh defeated Shriyanshi Valishetty 19-21, 21-8, 21-13 to book her place in the quarterfinals. These results highlight the strong showing of Indian singles players at the event.
Going forward, Sen will play fourth seed Alex Lanier of France, while Rakshitha Ramesh will face sixth seed Line Christophersen of Denmark. Ayush Shetty will also face sixth seed Loh Kean Yew from Singapore in the upcoming round.
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Published on:
October 30, 2025
