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New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Eogene hits new high, Ling Ching cruises into Canada Open quarters
KUALA LUMPUR: Eogene Ewe reached a career milestone at the Canada Open on Thursday, while Wong Ling Ching also continued her fine form to join him in the quarter-finals of the Super 300 tournament in Markham, Ontario. World No. 98 Eogene fought back from a game down to beat Germany's world No. 81 Matthias Kicklitz 13-21, 21-14, 21-18 in 54 minutes, marking his best-ever run at a Super 300 tournament. The 20-year-old previously reached the quarter-finals of the Vietnam Open last year, but that was at the Super 100 level. He will face Victor Lai of Canada in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Ling Ching kept her dream run alive by outclassing Spain's Clara Azurmendi 21-17, 21-7 in the women's singles. The 22-year-old world No. 87, who stunned fourth seed Line Christophersen of Denmark in the opening round, will now attempt to go one step further than her previous best at this level - a quarter-final finish at the 2023 Syed Modi International in India. Ling Ching faces a tough test next against Vietnam's Nguyen Thuy Linh, the second seed and world No. 22. However, it was the end of the road for K. Letshanaa. The 21-year-old, who reached a career-high world No. 45 this week, fell 21-15, 21-14 to India's Shriyanshi Valishetty - a player she had comfortably beaten in straight games at the Thailand International last year. It is a setback for Letshanaa, who was aiming to reach her second successive quarter-final after last week's strong showing at the US Open.
The Hindu
26-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Despite recent setbacks, Sindhu confident of turning the corner on the tour
She hasn't won a title in nine outings since the Syed Modi International in November last year, not reached the last four, in fact, but P.V. Sindhu remains optimistic about the future. Training with Indonesian coach Irwansyah since the beginning of this year, Sindhu has come close on a couple of occasions but fallen short, specially in matches that stretched into the decider. 'The women's singles game has changed. Earlier it was more of attack and fast rallies but now it's much more defensive with long rallies and long matches, the game has slowed down. 'I need to change my training schedule accordingly. I need to do my physical fitness and endurance. We have been working on that, especially in terms of being more patient to continue the rallies and keep the shuttle in play for 30-40 strokes,' the double Olympic medalist told select mediapersons at the SAI Centre here on Thursday. Sindhu, who was visiting to test her strength and endurance at the SAI Bengaluru's state-of-the-art Sports Science Centre, insisted there were no concerns but admitted training and recovery modules have to adapt with age. 'Fitness and training wise everything is going well. We have two more weeks to prepare before we start off with Japan and China. It is important to be 100 percent fit physically and mentally otherwise it will be difficult to come back from injuries. 'We used to play multiple consecutive events in our 20s. But now you have to make sure your body condition is good, you can't just go out there and play 5-6 tournaments in a row and not be fit, risk injury and make it worse. You need to make sure how the body is feeling after every tournament,' she said. Questions about her recent results were inevitable and Sindhu admitted they were a concern but added that things were moving in the right direction. 'I know people might say you have won everything, there's no pressure. But it is important to make sure I maintain it. Recent results definitely bother me. I have been working on changing my mindset after losses. Sometimes you just get sad but it's important to bounce back. Earlier I was losing easily but recently there have been some tough matches with top athletes. The difference is little but hopefully in China and Japan you will see the results,' she signed off.
New Straits Times
26-06-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Letshanaa stuns ex-world champ Okuhara as Malaysians shine at US Open
KUALA LUMPUR: National men's singles shuttler Justin Hoh enjoyed a flawless start at the US Open, but it was women's singles duo K. Letshanaa and Wong Ling Ching, who truly stole the show in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Wednesday. World No. 43 Justin needed just 27 minutes to dispatch Belgium's Julien Carraggi 21-10, 21-10 in the Super 300 tournament's opening round, but all eyes quickly turned to Letshanaa and Ling Ching after their shock wins over seeded opponents. World No. 50 Letshanaa turned on the style to beat Japan's eighth seed and 2017 world champion Nozomi Okuhara 21-8, 21-19. While Okuhara, 30, is no longer the force she once was - having also reached world No. 1 and won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics - the victory remains a big feather in Letshanaa's cap. Ling Ching, meanwhile, pulled off an even bigger upset by edging world No. 30 and fourth seed Hsu Wen Chi of Taiwan 21-17, 19-21, 22-20 in a 66-minute battle. It marked one of the most significant wins of the world No. 96's career. Letshanaa will next face world No. 49 Aakarshi Kashyap of India for a place in the quarter-finals, while Ling Ching aims to build on her momentum against Bulgaria's Kaloyana Nalbantova, ranked No. 75. The last time Ling Ching made it to a Super 300 quarter-final was at the 2023 Syed Modi International in India. Letshanaa, meanwhile, will be eyeing her second last-eight appearance of the season after reaching the same stage at the Taiwan Open last month. Justin, too, will be looking to maintain his strong form when he takes on Taiwan's world No. 76 Liao Jhuo Fu in the second round.
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Business Standard
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Standard
Like minded Tanisha-Dhruv reviving mixed doubles magic in India with flair
'We both have a similar mentality because we really want to achieve something, and that's pushing us together.' These were the words of India's latest badminton sensation, Dhruv Kapila, while talking to ESPN, who, along with his partner Tanisha Crasto, has put India back in the spotlight in mixed doubles badminton. The duo won India's only points in the recently concluded Sudirman Cup 2025 when they beat Indonesia's Rehan Kusharjanto and Gloria Widjaja 10–21, 21–18, 21–19 in the second Group D match. While India eventually lost the tie 1–4 and missed a playoff spot, they offered bright hopes for the Indian badminton fraternity, which has been struggling in recent times, especially in a category where India is usually given little to no chance of success. How Tanisha and Dhruv are reshaping the mixed doubles landscape? Indian badminton hasn't often boasted success in mixed doubles, but that may be changing thanks to Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila. Since joining forces in late 2023, they've shown rapid progress, climbing to a career-best ranking of 17 in April 2025. Their games complement each other — Tanisha's court coverage and angles pair seamlessly with Dhruv's strength from the back. They credit their chemistry to a shared ambition and mutual understanding. With backing from the Reliance Foundation, they now have access to high-performance support rarely available to Indian mixed doubles players, giving them a serious edge going forward. Mixed doubles has rarely been India's strong suit in international badminton. Apart from trailblazers like Jwala Gutta and V Diju, who were the first Indian pair to enter the top 10, the country has seen few standout performances. Short-term partnerships have come and gone, and in team events, this category has often been seen as a weak link. However, Tanisha and Dhruv's recent performance in the Sudirman Cup may have started to shift that narrative. Their victory against Indonesia gave India a much-needed win in a crucial tie — something unthinkable in mixed doubles just a year ago. How Tanisha-Dhruv partnership came together Tanisha and Dhruv felt their partnership had real potential from the outset. When they made the finals at the Syed Modi International in November 2024, they sensed they had found the right fit. Dhruv, who had long wanted to focus on mixed doubles, finally had a partner whose style matched his. Tanisha agreed that they clicked instantly and decided to prioritise this format. Their win over a pair who had previously beaten them was particularly sweet, as Tanisha explained — it gave them huge confidence and set the tone for what they could achieve as a team. Who is Dhruv Kapila? A native of Punjab, Dhruv Kapila was introduced to professional badminton early, enrolling at the Gopichand Academy by age 10. He initially made his mark in men's doubles, becoming India's No. 2 with M R Arjun. Injuries to his partner, however, forced a change of course. Dhruv always felt he had the skills for mixed doubles but lacked a suitable partner until Tanisha came along. With her, he's now able to fully utilise his attacking strengths and tactical smarts. He believes their shared goal and hunger to improve are what keep their partnership strong and growing. Who is Tanisha Crasto? Tanisha Crasto's path to Indian badminton started in Dubai, where she was born and raised. At 16, she made the bold move to Hyderabad to chase her dream of playing for India. She's already represented the country in women's doubles at the Olympics, but her return to mixed doubles has been especially impactful. After her previous partner, Ishaan Bhatnagar, was sidelined by injury, Tanisha adapted quickly. She sees her current pairing with Dhruv as a natural fit, crediting their progress to shared goals and strong in-game understanding. Her speed and anticipation make her vital in front-court play. India's ongoing badminton challenges Despite this promising duo, Indian badminton faces a broader downturn. Top singles players have seen a dip in form, and men's doubles has taken a hit due to injuries to stars Satwik and Chirag. Mixed doubles, long considered an afterthought, now offers a potential path forward — if India can develop more strong pairs. Tanisha and Dhruv feel the lack of competitive training partners domestically holds them back. They stress the need for long-term pairings and dedicated coaching to raise the level. For now, they remain one of the few bright spots in an otherwise difficult phase for Indian badminton.
New Straits Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Justin starts strongly in Thailand Open
KUALA LUMPUR: Men's singles shuttler Justin Hoh made a solid start to his Thailand Open campaign in Bangkok today. With Leong Jun Hao absent due to a right elbow injury and Ng Tze Yong still working his way back to top form after a long injury layoff, several national shuttlers are aiming to make an impact at the Super 500 tournament. Justin, currently ranked world No. 45, booked a win in the first qualifying round by defeating Belgium's world No. 51 Julien Carraggi in three games 21-14, 19-21, 21-13 in 56 minutes at the Nimibutr Stadium. He will next face India's world No. 44 S. Ayush in the second qualifying round, with a place in the main draw at stake. Ayush leads their head-to-head 2-1, having won their most recent encounter at the Syed Modi International. Also progressing was Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin, who overcame India's K. Sathish Kumar in his opening qualifying match. Aidil, ranked world No. 50, prevailed 21-19, 12-21, 21-12 in 50 minutes against the world No. 49. He will meet Japan's world No. 47 Riku Hatano in the next round, with the Japanese player holding a 2-1 record in their past meetings. In the women's singles, K. Letshanaa began the day with a career-high world ranking of No. 47. She advanced without taking to the court after fellow Malaysian S. Kisona conceded a walkover. Letshanaa is set to play Thailand's Tidapron Kleebyeesun in the second qualifying round. Meanwhile, the Korean-Malaysian men's doubles pair of Choi Sol Gyu-Goh V Shem moved into the next round after seeing off Thailand's Vichayapong Kanjanakeereewon-Naruset Laotherdpong 21-15, 21-17. They will next take on Taiwan's world No. 59 duo, He Zhi Wei and Huang Jui Hsuan.
