PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy progressed to the second round of the Badminton Asia Championships, while Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth suffered early exits. Sindhu fought back to win in three games, while Prannoy secured a straight-games victory. Youngster Ayush Shetty stunned world No. 7 Li Shi Feng in a standout performance.

Ningbo, April 8: Two-time Olympics medallist P. V. Sindhu and H.S. Prannoy overcame a tough first-round challenge, while Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth faced an unexpected exit as Indian fortunes varied on the first day of the Badminton Asia Championships on Wednesday.

Sindhu was tested by Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching before securing a hard-fought victory in three games. After dropping the opener 15-21, the Indian shuttler regrouped, taking control of the second game 21-11.

The deciding game turned into a tense battle with frequent momentum shifts. With the scores locked at 19-19, Sindhu relied on her experience to clinch the final two points and seal the match in one hour and seven minutes. The Indian ace will next play Wang Zhi Yi of China in the second round.

In contrast, Lakshya’s campaign came to an abrupt end after a straight-games defeat against Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu. The Indian, who had entered the tournament on the back of an encouraging run at the All England Championships, went down 12-21, 19-21 in a 41-minute encounter.