Varun Kapur, other Indian shuttlers disappoint at Hellas International tournament in Greece

World No. 433 Varun Kapur crashed out of the pre-quarterfinals as Indian shuttlers put up a dismal showing at the Hellas International Future Series Badminton tournament in Lavrio, Greece on Saturday.

Unseeded Varun came a cropper against fifth seed Jan Louda of the Czech Republic. Much was expected from Varun Kapur, but he could not match Louda, who is ranked 150th in the world.

Louda outclassed the Indian teenager 21-4, 21-9.

In the first round, Varun, the junior World No. 2, got the better of Ivan Rusev of Bulgaria 21-19, 4-21, 21-15 in a marathon encounter that lasted nearly an hour.

Eighteen-year-old Varun, a trainee at the Nikhil Kanetkar Badminton Academy in Pune, overcame a mid-match slump to shock Rusev, the World No. 163.

Kiran Kumar Mekala, Kevin Arokia Walter out in 1st round

The other two Indians in the men’s singles main draw, Kiran Kumar Mekala and Kevin Arokia Walter, went down in the first round.

Mekala lost to seventh seed Miha Ivanič of Slovenia 8-21, 15-21 in 35 minutes, while Walter went down fighting against Enogat Roy of France 17-21, 21-16, 9-21 in exactly an hour.

Aman Farogh Sanjay faltered in the last qualifying round and missed the main draw by a whisker. Aman, winner of the Benin International Future Series last month, won a couple of rounds easily before going down to Malaysia’s Kok Jing Hong.

Varun Kapur

Thirteenth seed Aman accounted for Julian Blaumoser of Germany 21-16, 21-10 in 17 minutes and then knocked out Kevin Hargiono of Luxembourg 21-13, 21-9 in 26 minutes.

However, the southpaw’s brilliant run was halted by the young Malaysian in the third and final qualifier. Aman won the first game but was found wanting thereafter as he lost 21-17, 7-21, 8-21 in half an hour.

Astitva Kale downed Greece’s Konstantinos Bouras 21-3, 21-7 but lost in the second round of qualification against France’s Sacha Leveque 4-21, 14-21.

Results of Indian players

Men’s singles (round 1)

Varun Kapur bt Ivan Rusev (Bulgaria) 21-19, 4-21, 21-15 (56 min)

Kiran Kumar Mekala lost to Miha Ivanič (Slovenia) 8-21, 15-21 (35 min)

Kevin Arokia Walter lost to Enogat Roy (France) 17-21, 21-16, 9-21 (60 min)

Men’s singles (round 2)

Varun Kapur lost to Jan Louda (Czech Republic) 4-21, 9-21 (15 min).