2025 Sudirman Cup: PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy Flop As India Bow Out Of Tournament
India’s Dismal Start To 2025 Sudirman Cup
After winning the Thomas Cup in 2022 and earning silver in the men’s team event at the 2023 Asian Games, India’s badminton fans had reason for optimism heading into the 2025 Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China.
However, Team India were handed a few major blows in the lead-up to the competition, with two of the nation’s top pairings, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/ Chirag Shetty and Treesa Jolly/ Gayatri Gopichand, forced to withdraw from the competition due to injury.
At the 16-team tournament, India were drawn into a tough group, which featured number-two seed Indonesia, as well as Denmark and England. The team’s first match of the competition was against the Danes, and they were immediately put on the backfoot, losing the mixed doubles match against Jesper Toft and Amalie Magalund 21-13, 21-14.
World number 23, HS Prannoy, featured in match two and did well to take the game to Anders Antonsen, but the Dane came good when it mattered most and claimed the victory in straight sets, 21-15-21-16, which saw India’s odds plummet with all the best online betting sites.
Hariharan Amsakuranan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi were defeated in match three by Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen, meaning that India had already lost the tie before PV Sindhu stepped onto the court to face Line Kjaersfeldt in the women’s singles category.
As it turned out, the team's previous losses didn’t matter that much as Sindhu also went down in straight sets, while the only victory the team managed came from Tanisha Castro and Shruti Misha against Alexandre Boje and Natasja Anthonisen in the women’s doubles match.
Indonesia Confirm India’s Premature Elimination
Following their heavy defeat to Denmark, India entered Tuesday against Indonesia in a must-win situation, and they got off to the perfect start, with Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto beating Rehan Kusharjanto and Gloria Widjaja in three sets, 10-21, 21-18 and 21-19.
However, it was all downhill from there on, with world number 18, Sindhu, losing in straight sets 21-12, 21-13 to number 11-ranked Putri Kusuma Wardini in just under 40 minutes before Prannoy fell to Jonatan Christie in match three.
Prannoy arguably put up the biggest fight of any of the India players, as he rallied from 19-17 down to beat the 2024 All England Champion in game one, but Christie came back swinging in the final two games to secure the win 19-21, 21-14, 21-12.
In the final matchup, the 42nd-ranked Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi lost to Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Daniel Marthin 22-20, 20-18 - albeit that it was a dead-rubber match.
India have not earned a point in the competition, and while they still have one tie to go, against England on Wednesday, Denmark and Indonesia have already built up an insurmountable lead, meaning Team India will exit the tournament after their next match.
