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Seasoned campaigners Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy entered the final of the Victor Denmark Masters International Challenge Badminton tournament in Esbjerg on Saturday.
Second seeds Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy lived up to their rankings and reputations to clinch the final spot in the women’s doubles.
However, it was heart-breaking for other Indian shuttlers who went down fighting in their respective semi-finals.
Top seed Lakshya Sen was stunned by Canada’s Brian Yang in three tough games. Third seed Brian Yang, the youngest male shuttler of the recently held Tokyo Olympics, rallied to shock Lakshya Sen 13-21, 21-14, 21-18.
In a battle between two teenagers, Brian Yang prevailed over his higher ranked opponent to storm into the final.
Unseeded Aakarshi Kashyap’s giant-killing act was cut short by fourth seed Julie Dawall Jakobsen of Denmark, who won a hard-fought women’s singles semi-final 21-14, 21-19.
Similarly, it was a loss by a narrow margin for unseeded men’s doubles pair Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnu Vardhan Goud Panjala.
The fast-rising Indian doubles duo of Krishna Prasad and Vishnu Vardhan Goud lost to French pair Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar 18-21, 21-5, 20-22. After both the pairs shared their first two games, the decider was won by Corvee and Labar of France to shatter the hopes of the Indians.
Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy to face top seeds in final
The day’s final outing was won by Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy to provide some solace to the Indian camp.
In a well-contested women’s doubles semis, second seed Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy quelled a spirited challenge from third seeds Julie Finne and Ipsen-Mai Surrow of Denmark 21-17, 21-15 in 34 minutes.
World No. 28 Ashwini and Sikki Reddy will now lock horns with the top seeds and World No. 27 Amalie Magelund and Freja Ravn of Denmark on Sunday.
The head-to-head record between the two finalists stands at 1-1, with both matches held earlier this year.
Indian Results
(Quarter-finals)
Men’s singles
1-Lakshya Sen bt Christo Popov (France) 21-5, 10-21, 21-7
4-Subhankar Dey lost to 7-Victor Svendsen (Denmark) 9-21, 13-21
Chirag Sen lost to 5-Felix Burestedt (Sweden) 18-21, 21-14, 17-21
Women’s singles
Aakarshi Kashyap bt Amalie Schulz (Denmark) 23-21, 22-20
Sri Krishna Priya K lost to 4-Julie Dawall Jakobsen (Denmark) 14-21, 15-21
Men’s doubles
Krishna Prasad Garaga-Vishnu Vardhan Goud Panjala bt 4-Joel Eipe-Rasmus Kjaer (Denmark) 16-21, 14-21
Women’s doubles
2-Ashwini Ponnappa-N Sikki Reddy bt Natasja P Anthonisen-Clara Graversen (Denmark) 21-23, 21-14, 21-8
Mixed doubles
Dhruv Rawat-Ashwini Ponnappa lost to 1-Niclas Nohr-Amalie Magelund (Denmark) 14-21, 16-21
(Semi-finals)
Men’s singles: 1-Lakshya Sen lost to 3-Brian Yang (Canada) 21-13, 14-21, 18-21
Women’s singles: Aakarshi Kashyap lost to 4-Julie Dawall Jakobsen (Denmark) 14-21, 19-21
Men’s doubles
Krishna Prasad Garaga-Vishnu Vardhan Goud Panjala lost to Lucas Corvee-Ronan Labar (France) 18-21, 21-5, 20-22
Women’s doubles
2-Ashwini Ponnappa-N Sikki Reddy bt 3-Julie Finne-Ipsen-Mai Surrow (Denmark) 21-17, 21-15.
