The Indian junior badminton players beat Hong Kong 5-0 to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2023 Badminton Junior Asia Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia on Saturday. However, later in the day, India lost 0-5 to Malaysia in their final group stage match of the contest.
The draws for the quarter-finals will be conducted on Sunday.
The Indian shuttlers got off to a perfect start against Hong Kong when the mixed doubles pair of Samarveer and Radhika Sharma got the better of Deng Chi Fai and Liu Hoi Kiu Anna with a 21-10, 21-14 victory.
Continuing the momentum was Ayush Shetty and Tara Shah in the singles category, who beat their opponents in contrasting victories. While Shetty comfortably defeated Lam Ka To by 21-14, 21-9, Shah secured a hard-fought win against Liang Ka Wing with a 21-23, 21-16, 21-13 scoreline.
The boys’ doubles team of Nicholas Raj and Tushar Suveer beat their opponents Chung Ching Cyrus and Yung King To by 21-16, 21-17 followed by Srinidhi Narayanan and Sharma who sealed India’s win over Hong Kong by defeating Liang and Liu with a score of 21-12, 21-19.
Later in the day, India’s set of matches against Malaysia all ended in defeat. In the singles matchups, Lakshay Sharma fell short against Eogene Ewe 14-21, 15-21 while Rakshitha suffered a 13-21, 21-5 15-21 defeat against Ong Xin Yee.
Nicholas and Tushar were beaten 12-21, 19-21 against Goonting and Tai in the boys’ doubles whereas Rakshitha and Shriyanshi lost 21-14, 14-21, 12-21 against Ong and Ting. The mixed doubles pair of Samarveer and Radhika were outmatched by 21-18, 15-21, 10-21 against Low and Chong.