Unlimited Indian shutter Tharun Mannepalli created one of the greatest disturbance of the Arctic open year 2025, maintaining the hopes of male singles alive on the world by stunning victory at World No. 14 in France in Vantai in Finland.
Mannepalli, 46th in the world, showed huge gravel and peace to recover from the loss of the first game and save four match points before the 11-21, 21-11, 22-20 in the 68-minute marathon meeting in the BWF Super 500.
After being completely exaggerated in the opening game, the 22 -year -old Indian in the second turned the tide with a more aggressive approach and using Sharp Smashes and stricter clean game for disturbance of Popov. The referee turned into a tense battle, when Popov held four match points in 20-16, but Mannepalli refused to give up-navyal six consecutive points to seal the unforgettable victory and the biggest winnings of his career.
The victory was driven by Mannepalli to the preliminary Quarterfinals, where he will face the Japanese world no. 18 Koki Watanabe to a place in the last eight.
While Mannepalli’s heroism lit up the day for India, the fighting of Lakeshya’s dream continued when it fell to another premature departure. The Paris Olympic semifinalist lost 15-21, 17-21 to the fifth seed and World No. 11 Kodai Naraoka from Japan in 57 minutes, which meant his 10.
Lastya, who reached the final of Hong Kong last month, never found his rhythm. He watched 6-11 at the interval of the central game in the opening and despite the fact that he closed the gap in the second, Naroka showed the pace and accuracy too much. It was also the sixth loss of dreams at eight meetings against the Japanese shuttle.
Elsewhere it was disappointing for the rest of the Indian contingent. Kidambi Sikanth admitted Walover to Danish Rasmus Gemke, while Kiran George left for his second game against Koki Watanabe after he lost the first 10-21 and in the next tracking of 1-4.
The young man Sankar Subramanian fell 17-21, 11-21 to France’s Christo Popov in 44 minutes, and Ayush Shetty was defeated 15-21, 16-21 the best seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn from Thailand in 50 minutes.
Since most Indian shuttles are performing premature exits, all eyes will now be on Tharun Mannepalli to expand the Indian Arctic Open campaign
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Published:
Amar Pancker
Published on:
8 October 2025
