India’s singles campaign at the YONEX German Open Super 300 suffered a significant early blow on Wednesday, with eight of the nine Indian entrants exiting in the Round of 32.
The numbers alone reflect the scale of the setback of the nine Indian singles players who entered the main draw across men’s and women’s categories, only Kidambi Srikanth managed to advance beyond the opening round.
The opening day in Mülheim saw a string of defeats for Indian shuttlers, many of whom entered the tournament hoping to build rhythm ahead of a packed international calendar in the lead-up to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle a phase you’ve consistently highlighted as crucial for Indian badminton coverage on IndiaSportsHub.
In the men’s singles draw, Kiran George was handed a difficult opening-round tie against top seed Christo Popov of France. Despite showing resistance in the second game, George was unable to convert crucial late-game opportunities, eventually going down 10-21, 20-22 in a 47-minute encounter. After a one-sided opening game, the Indian fought back commendably in the second, pushing Popov into extended rallies and forcing errors. However, the Frenchman’s superior control in the closing exchanges saw him edge past in straight games.
Tharun Mannepalli also bowed out in the opening round after losing to experienced Chinese Taipei shuttler Wang Tzu Wei in 44 minutes. Mannepalli struggled to establish attacking momentum throughout the contest, with Wang dictating the tempo from mid-court and controlling the rally pace effectively to seal the match in straight games.
On the women’s side, Malvika Bansod produced one of the more competitive performances among the Indian contingent. Facing USA’s Beiwen Zhang, Bansod took the opening game 21-19 through aggressive net play and tight defensive retrievals. However, Zhang responded strongly in the second game, shifting tactical focus towards deeper clears and cross-court angles to win it 21-9. The decider remained finely poised for long stretches before Zhang closed it out 21-19, eliminating the Indian after a 56-minute battle.
Watch Indian Live Scores and Play Quiz – Download IndiaSportsHub App
Tasnim Mir, meanwhile, faced a stern test against top seed Wang Zhi Yi of China. The Indian youngster found it difficult to counter Wang’s precision and shuttle control, losing 9-21, 14-21 in under half an hour. The Chinese shuttler’s ability to vary pace and maintain attacking pressure from the backcourt prevented Mir from settling into longer rally sequences.
Rakshitha Sree S R also exited in the opening round after going down to Denmark’s Line Christophersen in three games. Despite taking the second game 23-21 in a spirited comeback effort, Rakshitha was unable to sustain the momentum in the decider.
Isharani Baruah suffered a straight-games defeat to Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong, while Aakarshi Kashyap was beaten by Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu Hsun in two games. Both matches followed a similar pattern, with the Indian shuttlers unable to maintain consistency in mid-rally exchanges against opponents who capitalised on unforced errors.
The lone bright spot for India came in the form of Kidambi Srikanth. The former World Championships silver medallist secured a convincing 21-12, 21-11 victory over Poland’s Mikolaj Szymanowski in just 32 minutes to progress into the Round of 16. Srikanth displayed sharp front-court interceptions and maintained attacking intensity throughout, rarely allowing his opponent to dictate play.
In contrast, Tanvi Sharma’s three-game defeat to Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching further underlined India’s difficult start in singles competition. With Srikanth now carrying the burden of India’s singles hopes into the next round, the early exits raise questions about match readiness and adaptability on the European circuit an area that will require closer scrutiny as the season progresses.
Watch Indian Live Scores and Play Quiz – Download IndiaSportsHub App
For now, the German Open has already exposed the gap in consistency that India’s singles players must address to remain competitive at the Super 300 level and beyond.
