Shetty and Sindhu March On, Sen and Hooda Bow Out

Ayush Shetty and PV Sindhu moved into the pre-quarterfinals of the BWF World Championships with straight-game victories on Wednesday at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, while Lakshya Sen and Unnati Hooda suffered hard-fought defeats.

Shetty, who stunned top seed and defending champion Shi Yu Qi in the opening round, continued his impressive run by beating Sri Lanka's Dumindu Abeywickrama 21-8, 21-10 in just 26 minutes. He made a blistering start, established an 11-3 lead in the first game, and never looked back, controlling the rallies with precise attacking strokes. He will now face Indonesia's Alwi Farhan in the Round of 16 on Thursday. Farhan is the 11th seed and a former world junior champion.

PV Sindhu advanced in the women's singles with a 21-16, 21-17 victory over Canada's Wen Yu Zhang. The five-time World Championships medallist was tested at times but kept her composure to finish both games strongly. She will next face China's Wang Zhi Yi, the third seed, whom she beat at last year's World Championships.

Sen's Shock Exit, Hooda's Heartbreak

The day's biggest shock came in the men's singles, where 14th-seeded Lakshya Sen, a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, lost to 18-year-old American Garret Tan, ranked 92nd, 19-21, 21-19, 21-17 in a 73-minute thriller. Sen won the opening game, but Tan, with his powerful smashes and aggressive play, fought back. Sen saved four game points in the second game to force a decider, but Tan's continued attack proved decisive. After the match, Sen admitted he was exhausted physically in the third game: "It was a very tough match. I gave my all whatever I had in my tank," he said. "He was just a better player today."

Tan, who admitted the crowd support briefly got to him in the third set, said he was "still speechless" after the win.

Unnati Hooda, making her World Championships debut, also came close to causing a surprise but lost to Canada's Michelle Li, the 13th seed, 21-11, 9-21, 21-23. The 18-year-old dropped two match points in the deciding set. She said she showed a lot of patience in the tournament.

Doubles Results Mixed

In mixed doubles, India's Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto Advanced with a comfortable 21-11, 21-11 win over Macau's Leong Lok Chong and Ng Weng Chi in 30 minutes.

In men's doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the fifth seeds, advanced to the pre-quarterfinals without playing a shot, receiving a walkover from Scotland's Alexander Dunn and Adam Pringle due to a Dunn injury. They have yet to on the court in competition at their home tournament. In the round of 16, they will meet someone to be determined.

However, India's other men's doubles pair, Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun, lost to South Korea's Kang Min Hyuk and Ki Dong Ju 17-21, 14-21.

Looking Ahead

With singles, Shedty is the last Indian men's player standing. He expressed calmness about the upcoming match with Alwi. PV Sindhu remains on course for a record sixth World Championships medal, but she warned against complacency: "No easy matches at the World Championships," she said.