High-ranked Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen progressed to the second spherical of the season-opening Malaysia Open in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, on Tuesday, January 6. Lakshya defeated Singapore’s Jia Heng Jason Teh in a first-round encounter that lasted one hour and 10 minutes.
Nevertheless, Malavika Bansod, returning to the circuit after a six-month harm lay-off, suffered a straight-games defeat to seventh seed Ratchanok Intanon, shedding 11–21, 11–21 within the ladies’s singles first spherical.
World no. 21 Jason Teh made Lakshya work laborious for his opening-round victory, taking a recreation off the previous All England finalist. Lakshya ultimately prevailed 21-16, 15-21, 21-14 in a contest that examined his persistence and adaptableness.
After starting the match on a constructive notice, Lakshya, ranked 13 on this planet, raced to an early 8-3 lead within the opening recreation. Nevertheless, Jason Teh mounted a powerful fightback and moved forward 10-8 on the mid-game interval, briefly threatening to grab momentum. Lakshya responded nicely, halting the run of factors, pulling clear to 15-11, after which closing out the primary recreation with authority.
The second recreation proved more difficult for the Indians. Lakshya struggled from the phrase go and trailed 6-11 on the mid-game interval. Regardless of his efforts, he was unable to get well the deficit as Jason Teh leveled the match.
Lakshya took a while to regulate to the circumstances, however as soon as he discovered his rhythm, he returned to his aggressive finest within the decider. Attacking confidently from the again courtroom and taking part in decisively on the internet, he managed proceedings to seal the match comfortably.
Lakshya will now be eyeing a deep run on the Malaysia Open as he seems to construct on a powerful end to final season. He ended the 2025 marketing campaign by profitable the Australian Open Tremendous 500, following a semi-final look on the Japan Masters and a quarter-final end on the Hylo Open.
With the Asian Video games and World Championships set to be held at dwelling in 2026, India will likely be banking closely on Lakshya to ship, making a powerful begin to the season essential for the younger shuttler.
World no. 32 Ayush Shetty, in the meantime, is ready to face World No. 8 Lee Zii Jia within the opening spherical of the lads’s singles.
Within the ladies’s singles, PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda will likely be in motion later this week. Sindhu, returning after a four-month harm lay-off, will open her marketing campaign towards World No. 31 Sung Shuo Yun. A victory would probably arrange a conflict with eighth seed Tomoka Miyazaki, the previous Junior World Champion. Whereas reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi looms in her quarter, Sindhu has averted an early assembly with World No. 1 An Se Younger, towards whom she holds a frightening 0–8 report.
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