The opening day of the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2025 in Paris turned out to be a tough outing for India.
All four Indian entries in action Lakshya Sen (men’s singles), the Panda sisters Rutaparna and Swetaparna (women’s doubles), Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra (women’s doubles), and the young men’s doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi bowed out in the first round. While most of the results were along expected lines given the draw, the headline match for India came in men’s singles, where Lakshya Sen produced a spirited fight against China’s Shi Yu Qi before going down in straight games.
Lakshya Sen vs Shi Yu Qi – A Match of Margins
Former world No. 1 and reigning powerhouse Shi Yu Qi faced India’s Lakshya Sen in one of the most anticipated clashes of the opening round. On paper, it was a mismatch Shi Yu Qi, a multiple major champion, against Lakshya, who has been struggling to rediscover his 2021–22 form. Yet, what unfolded was a 54-minute battle that underlined both Sen’s potential and the gulf that remains at the very highest level.
The final score read 17–21, 19–21, but the numbers only told part of the story.
- First Game: Lakshya started with confidence, engaging Shi in fast-paced rallies. But at the crucial 15–17 mark, the Chinese ace strung together a series of winners to seal the opener 21–17.
- Second Game: Sen raised his intensity, fighting back from 10–15 and again from 13–17 down. At 19–19, a disputed line call went Shi’s way, shifting momentum at the worst possible time for the Indian. The Chinese held his nerve to close the game 21–19.
It was a straight-games defeat, but far from a one-sided affair. The 54-minute duration for just two games reflected how close Sen kept the exchanges. Shi Yu Qi, recognizing the quality of the contest, acknowledged Sen warmly at the end. For Sen, however, the loss means a disappointing end to his World Championships campaign at the very first hurdle. His results at the Worlds over the past four editions now stand at:
- 2021 – Bronze medal (semi-finalist)
- 2022 – Third round exit
- 2023 – Third round exit
- 2025 – First round exit
This makes him the first Olympic fourth-place finisher to bow out in the opening round of the subsequent World Championships, adding another unwelcome statistic to his recent struggles.
Men’s Doubles: Hariharan and Ruban Outclassed
In men’s doubles, the young Indian pairing of Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi were up against Taiwan’s Liu Kuang Heng and Yang Po Han, a duo with far greater international exposure. The Indians started with decent defensive play but lacked the firepower to consistently finish points. Once Liu and Yang settled into their rhythm, the match quickly tilted in their favor. The Taiwanese pair ran through the contest with a commanding 21–15, 21–5 victory.
For Hariharan and Ruban, both of whom are still finding their footing on the international circuit, this experience against a top-tier pair will serve as valuable learning, even though the result was lopsided.
Women’s Doubles: Panda Sisters Fall to Stoevas
The Panda sisters, Rutaparna and Swetaparna, faced a daunting opening-round assignment against Bulgaria’s experienced Stoeva sisters, Gabriela and Stefani, ranked No. 19 in the world. The gulf in class was evident right from the start. The Stoevas dictated pace with their strong attacking play, leaving the Indians scrambling defensively. The match wrapped up in straight games, 21–12, 21–11, giving the Bulgarians safe passage into the next round.
While the Panda sisters showed flashes of resistance, they never quite found a way to penetrate the Stoevas’ attacking shield. For the Indians, ranked outside the world’s top 50, this was always expected to be an uphill battle.
India’s second women’s doubles pair on court, Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra, were drawn against the home favorites, France’s Margot Lambert and Camille Pognante. The French pair, roared on by local support, brought energy and aggression to the match and kept the Indians under constant pressure. Priya and Shruti tried to stay competitive but failed to string together any sustained momentum. The French wrapped up the encounter 21–17, 21–16.
For India, this result was another reminder of the gap that still exists between its second-tier doubles combinations and the world’s established pairs.
A Day of Expected Results
Overall, Day 1 brought little joy for India. All four matches ended in straight-games losses, confirming the pre-tournament assessment that it was always going to be an uphill task for the Indian contingent on opening day. The exit of Lakshya Sen is particularly disappointing, given that he was India’s best hope in action on Day 1. His spirited fight against Shi Yu Qi, however, may offer encouragement for the future if he can build on this performance.
Looking at the broader picture, India’s results on Day 1 were not entirely surprising. The draws had pitted the Indian players against significantly stronger opponents:
- Lakshya against a former world champion in Shi Yu Qi.
- The Panda sisters against the Stoevas, who are top-20 and vastly more experienced.
- Hariharan/Ruban against a seasoned Taiwanese pair.
- Priya/Shruti against France’s top-ranked combination.
That all matches ended in straight games underscored the gap in quality and experience, particularly in doubles.
With the early exits, India will now pin hopes on its other leading names yet to take court: HS Prannoy, PV Sindhu, Satwik/Chirag, who will look to carry the campaign deeper into the tournament. Particularly in doubles, the presence of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty—former world No. 1s offers India genuine medal hopes. Sindhu, former world champion, remains a contender despite her recent struggles with form and injuries.
The opening day of the BWF World Championships 2025 was one of expected disappointment for India, with Lakshya Sen and all three doubles combinations bowing out in the first round. Lakshya’s fighting 54-minute defeat against Shi Yu Qi was the lone bright spark in an otherwise winless day. As the competition now shifts to its decisive stages, India’s big guns are set to enter the fray. For Indian fans, the hope is that Day 1 will be remembered as just a stumbling start rather than a sign of things to come.
