Hooda Falls to Higher-Ranked Kim

India's 18-year-old shuttler Unnati Hooda was eliminated in the first round of the China Masters women's singles on Tuesday, losing to South Korea's world No. 12 Kim Ga Eun. The match, held at the Shenzhen Sports Centre Gymnasium, concluded in 37 minutes with a score of 21-10, 21-18 in Kim's favor, according to multiple reports.

Kim took control early, racing to a 4-0 lead and extending it to 11-3 at the mid-game interval. She maintained her advantage after the break to claim the first game. In the second game, Hooda responded with a 3-0 lead, but Kim soon moved ahead 7-5. Hooda briefly edged in front at 15-14, but Kim closed out the match by winning the final points after the score was tied at 18-18.

Hooda, ranked between world No. 25 and No. 31 in different reports, had reached the second round in her BWF World Championships debut last month. This was the first head-to-head meeting between the two players, with Kim having won the Macau Open title in June and been part of South Korea's gold medal-winning women's team at the 2023 Asian Games.

Shi Yuqi Exits Again

In the men's singles, 2025 world champion and former world No. 1 Shi Yuqi suffered his second consecutive first-round exit, losing to Singapore's Loh Kean Yew, himself a former world champion. Loh won 21-11, 21-10 in 30 minutes, delivering an aggressive performance that kept Shi on the back foot throughout.

Shi, who had lost in the Round of 64 at the recent World Championships, was ranked world No. 6 at the time of this tournament. The loss adds to a challenging period for the Chinese player ahead of the Asian Games.

Indian Doubles Pair Retires

In men's doubles, India's MR Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan retired from their first-round match against China's Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi. The reports differ on the exact score at the time of the withdrawal, with some stating the Indians were trailing 8-11 and others saying 11-8, but all agree the pair did not complete the match.

Other Results and Wednesday's Schedule

World No. 1 An Se Young began her campaign with a comfortable 21-11, 21-13 win over China's Lin Hsiang. Meanwhile, Indian players Tanvi Sharma, who rose to a career-high world No. 13, and Devika Shaig, ranked No. 33, are set to compete on Wednesday, along with Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, and the doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.

Lakshya Sen will face Canada's Victor Lai, and Kidambi Srikanth is slated to meet Chinese Taipei's Chi Yu Jen. Tanvi Sharma will take on Denmark's Amalie Schulz, and Devika Shaig will play Bulgaria's Kaloyana Nalbantova. The exact matchups for the remaining Indian players were not specified in all reports.