BWF French Open: Indian results at the end of day three

Modified Oct 26, 2023 22:40 IST

Day three of the BWF French Open promised Indian badminton fans two action-packed matches, but they had to deal with disappointments on both ends.

The first was the women's singles Round of 16 where PV Sindhu took on Thailand's Supanida Katethong. The next match was the dynamic doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty squaring off against Indonesian legends Mohammed Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan.

PV Sindhu, who had a strong start to the tournament when she beat seventh seed Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, looked to be in great form today as well. The Indian started the game looking confident, clinching the first set 21-18.

Unfortunately, a niggle in her left knee forced PV Sindhu to withdraw in the second game, giving her Thai opponent a free pass to the quarterfinals. According to Sindhu, she experienced discomfort in the first game and the pain lingered in the second set, making withdrawal the safer option.

Next on court at the French Open, freshly crowned world number ones Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty took on three-time world champions Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan. The first set was a grueling ordeal, but the Indonesian duo eventually edged out a 25-23 win after some nail-biting rallies.

Not one to let up, Rankireddy and Shetty stuck to their game in the second set. The Indians managed to snag a small lead interval and eventually forced a decider with a 21-19 victory.

The third game started off much like the second, with Satwiksairaj and Chirag just a couple points ahead of their Indonesian counterparts. Unfortunately, Ahsan and Setiawan turned the tables after the mid-game interval and clinched a narrow 21-19 victory.

This marks the end of India's campaign at the French Open.