China Masters 2026: Kidambi Srikanth Advances to Second Round as Lakshya Sen Suffers Early Exit in Shenzhen
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It was a mixed opening day for the Indian contingent at the China Masters badminton tournament in Shenzhen, marked by contrasting fortunes for the nation's top singles shuttlers. While veteran campaigner Kidambi Srikanth displayed clinical form to comfortably secure his spot in the second round, fellow compatriot Lakshya Sen suffered a surprising and early elimination following a straight-game defeat against Canada's Victor Lai.
Lakshya Sen Exits After Straight-Game Defeat to Victor Lai
World Championship 2021 bronze medallist Lakshya Sen endured a difficult outing on Wednesday, bowing out of the tournament in the opening round after a 14-21, 7-21 defeat against world number nine Victor Lai. Struggling to find his rhythm over a 38-minute contest, Lakshya committed a series of unforced errors that the Canadian shuttler capitalized on from the outset. This marks Lakshya's third career defeat against Lai, compounding a challenging recent phase for the Indian star following his early exit at the World Championships in New Delhi.
Kidambi Srikanth and Mixed Doubles Pair Advance in Shenzhen
Bringing cheer to the Indian camp, veteran men's singles player Kidambi Srikanth delivered a composed performance to book his place in the next round. Srikanth overcame Chinese Taipei's Chi Yu Jen in straight games with a scoreline of 21-16, 21-15, utilizing his vast experience to control the rallies. Additionally, India's mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto started their campaign on a high note, cruising past Thailand's Tonnakorn Saeheng and Tonicha Saeheng in a dominant 21-8, 21-9 victory to move deeper into the tournament.
Meta Description: Kidambi Srikanth advances to the second round of the China Masters 2026, while Lakshya Sen is eliminated in the first round after losing to Victor Lai.
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