Prannoy, Devika knocked out as India made an inauspicious start to the China Open

India suffered a disappointing start to their China Open campaign on Tuesday as HS Prannoy and Devika Sihag suffered first-round exits in Changzhou.

Prannoy, a bronze medalist at the 2023 World Championships, lost 10-21, 14-21 to Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao in the men’s singles, while Devika put up a spirited fight before losing 19-21, 21-19, 13-21 in Thailand at world number 20 Busanan.

Prannoy struggled to find his rhythm from the start against world number 27 Leong. The Malaysian raced to an 11-2 lead midway through the match before closing out the opener with ease.

The Indian produced a better display in the second game to stay within touching distance at 11-8 at the interval. However, Leong maintained control in the closing stages and allowed just six more points to Prannoy before sealing the contest in 32 minutes.

The defeat extended Prannoy’s difficult 2026 season, with the Indian yet to progress beyond the second round in any of the eight tournaments he has played this year. It was also Leong’s second win over Prannoy in four meetings.

Earlier, Devika showed a lot of determination in a tough match against Busanan. The Thailand Open Super 300 champion narrowly lost the opening game before coming back in the second to force a decider.

However, the experienced Thai raised her level in the final game, opening up a commanding 11-2 lead before completing the victory in an hour and a minute.

The 21-year-old’s fighting display was one of the positives for India despite the defeat, but it was not enough to prevent an early exit from the BWF Super 1000 tournament.

India’s hopes now rest on the remaining women’s singles players, with newly crowned Japan Open champion PV Sindhu opening her campaign against compatriot Unnati Hooda on Wednesday. Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty will also be in the first round.

Sindhu heads to Changzhou in excellent form after ending her title drought last week with victory at the Japan Open. The two-time Olympic medalist, who won the China Open in 2016, will look to carry that momentum into another strong run.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

21 Jul 2026 17:03 IST