The Orleans Masters Badminton 2025 presented by VICTOR saw Indian players delivering impressive performances in the qualifiers.
Kidambi Srikanth, Sankar Muthusamy, Unnati Hooda, and Isharani Baruah secured crucial victories to advance to the main draw, while Tanya Hemanth’s spirited run ended in the quarterfinals of the womens qualifiers. Here’s a complete recap of how India’s shuttlers fared.
Men’s Singles Qualifiers – Indian Players Shine
Kidambi Srikanth Cruises Into the Main Draw
Former world No.1 Kidambi Srikanth made a strong statement in the qualifiers, winning both of his matches in straight games.
•R1: Defeated Denmark’s Mads Christophersen21-8, 21-14
•R2: Defeated France’s Arnaud Merkle 21-12, 14-21, 21-11
Srikanth now faces Japan’s Koo Takahashi in the Round of 32 (R32). A win here will set up a highly anticipated R16 clash against top seed Lee Zii Jia.
Sankar Muthusamy Battles His Way to the Main Draw
S. Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian showed incredible grit, winning two hard-fought matches to enter the main round.
•R1: Defeated Denmark’s Magnus Johannesen21-19, 19-21, 21-19 (66 minutes)
•R2: Defeated Rithvik Sanjeevi Satish Kumar21-18, 21-12
Sankar will now face Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto in the R32, a challenging test against a top-ranked opponent.
Rithvik Sanjeevi Impresses Before Falling to Sankar
Rithvik Sanjeevi Satish Kumar showed promise with a dominant 21-10, 21-19 win over Malaysia’s Tan Jia Jie, before bowing out to Sankar Muthusamy in the second round.
Tharun Mannepalli Falls Short
Tharun Mannepalli fought hard in a 64-minute battle against Taiwan’s Liao Jhuo-Fu, but lost 21-17, 9-21, 16-21.
Women’s Singles Qualifiers – Unnati Hooda and Isharani Baruah Stand Out
Unnati Hooda’s Dominant Run Continues
Young Indian star Unnati Hooda was unstoppable in the qualifiers, winning three consecutive matches to enter the main draw.
R1: Defeated Tung Ciou-Tong 21-12, 21-16 (31 minutes)
R2: Defeated Malaysia’s Kisona Selvaduray 21-13, 21-15 (34 minutes)
Unnati now faces World No.1 An Se Young (Korea) in R32, a huge opportunity to test herself against one of the worlds best.
Isharani Baruah Wins Thriller to Reach the Main Draw
Isharani Baruah showed remarkable resilience in a 69-minute marathon battle against Denmark’s Amalie Schulz. 25-27, 21-16, 23-21
After losing a close first game, Isharani fought back to seal a well-deserved victory and enter the main draw.
Tanya Hemanth Falls Short in Quarterfinals
Tanya Hemanth had a strong start in the qualifiers but fell just short in the quarterfinals against Hong Kongs Lo Sin Yan Happy.
She Lost 16-21, 20-22 in 44 minutes
Despite the loss, Tanya displayed excellent form and will look to bounce back in upcoming tournaments.
Whatts Next?
With the qualifiers concluded, the focus now shifts to the main draw, where Indian shuttlers face tough challenges:
Kidambi Srikanth vs Koo Takahashi (R32) A win sets up a possible R16 clash against top seed Lee Zii Jia.
Sankar Muthusamy vs Kenta Nishimoto (R32) A crucial test for Sankar against a formidable Japanese opponent.
Unnati Hooda vs An Se Young (R32) A learning experience for the young Indian against one of the best in the world.
With several Indian players making their way into the main rounds, the Orleans Masters 2025 promises to be an exciting tournament for Indian badminton fans. Stay tuned for more updates!
