Did India's Journey at the Macau Open End with Lakshya and Mannepalli's Semifinal Loss?
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Synopsis
The Macau Open witnessed India's campaign come to an end as Lakshya Sen and Tharun Mannepalli faced tough semifinal losses. This article explores their journeys, performances, and the challenges they faced, highlighting their resilience and potential for future tournaments.
Key Takeaways
- Lakshya Sen reached his first semifinal in ten BWF events.
- Tharun Mannepalli achieved his career-best result at the Macau Open.
- India's men's doubles team faced a challenging quarterfinal.
- India's women's singles journey ended after Rakshitha Ramraj's defeat.
- Both players demonstrated resilience and potential for future tournaments.
Macau, Aug 2 (NationPress) India’s participation in the Macau Open concluded on Saturday as Lakshya Sen and Tharun Mannepalli faced defeats in their respective men’s singles semifinals. Lakshya experienced a 16-21, 9-21 defeat against fifth-seeded Indonesian Alwi Farhan in just 39 minutes, while Tharun put up a tough fight but lost 19-21, 21-16, 21-16 to Malaysia’s Justin Hoh after one hour and 21 minutes.
This tournament marked Lakshya Sen’s best performance in a 2025 BWF World Tour event, as it was his first semifinal appearance in ten BWF tour events since his victory at the Syed Modi International late last year. This season, he faced two second-round and six first-round exits, including a setback at the China Open.
Lakshya advanced to the quarterfinals after a grueling victory on Thursday and followed it up with a three-game victory over Zhu Xuan Chen of China.
For the 23-year-old Tharun Mannepalli, reaching the semifinals in Macau was his best achievement to date. He advanced to the last four by defeating Chinese player Hu Zhe An with scores of 21-12, 13-21, 21-18. Earlier, he delivered one of the day’s biggest upsets by coming from behind to beat top seed Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong.
Tharun started the opening game strong with an 11-6 lead; however, a series of unforced errors allowed Hoh to equalize at 18-all. The Indian maintained his composure to secure the game.
In the second game, Hoh kept a slight edge, with Tharun close behind. From a 17-16 score, the World No. 45 scored four consecutive points to push the match into a third game. Unfortunately, in the final game, Tharun fell behind by conceding seven straight points from a 9-all tie, enabling the Malaysian to seal the victory and advance to the final.
Additionally, India’s top men’s doubles pair, ranked No. 9 in the world, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Malaysia’s Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal on Friday.
India’s women’s singles journey at the Macau Open also came to an end on Thursday, as the last remaining player, Rakshitha Ramraj, fought valiantly but lost 14-21, 21-10, 21-11 to second seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand.
Point of View
India’s badminton athletes have showcased impressive resilience despite their recent setbacks. Lakshya Sen and Tharun Mannepalli's performances at the Macau Open underline the potential for growth and future success in international competitions. The nation stands behind them in their journey.
NationPress
08/10/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the scores of Lakshya Sen's semifinal match?
Lakshya Sen lost his semifinal match with scores of 16-21, 9-21 against Indonesia's Alwi Farhan.
How did Tharun Mannepalli perform in his semifinal match?
Tharun Mannepalli fought hard but lost 19-21, 21-16, 21-16 to Malaysia's Justin Hoh.
What was Lakshya Sen's best performance in the BWF World Tour so far?
Lakshya Sen's best performance was reaching the semifinals at the Macau Open, marking his first semifinal in ten BWF tour events.
Did India have any success in men's doubles at the Macau Open?
India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, lost in the quarterfinals to Malaysia's Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal.
How did India fare in women's singles at the Macau Open?
India's women's singles campaign ended when Rakshitha Ramraj lost to Thailand's second seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan.
