India’s Sudirman Cup 2025 campaign got off to a disappointing start with a 4-1 loss against Denmark at the Xiamen Fenghuang Gymnasium in China on Sunday.
The tie began with the mixed doubles match where Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, ranked 17th in the world, faced a tough challenge against Denmark’s seventh-ranked Jesper Toft and Amalie Magelund. The Indian duo fell in straight games, 21-13, 21-14, setting a difficult tone for the team.
The men’s singles match saw HS Prannoy, currently 30th in the world rankings, taking on world No. 3 Anders Antonsen. Despite fighting hard, Prannoy was unable to find his rhythm, losing 21-15, 21-16 in a 49-minute battle.
India’s struggles continued in the men’s doubles where Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi, ranked 42nd, were outclassed by world No. 1 pair Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen. The Indian pair managed just 11 points across two games, losing 21-7, 21-4 in a rapid 21-minute encounter.
Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu provided hope in the women’s singles but was narrowly edged out by Denmark’s Line Kjaersfeldt. Despite holding four game points in the first game and one in the second, Sindhu went down 22-20, 23-21. This marked Kjaersfeldt’s first victory over Sindhu in five meetings.
India managed to salvage some pride in the final match of the tie as Tanisha Crasto, paired with Priya Konjengbam, clinched a win in the women’s doubles. The duo defeated Natasja P Anthonisen and Alexandra Boje 21-13, 21-18 to put India on the board.
Drawn alongside Denmark, Indonesia, and England in Group D, India had qualified for the prestigious mixed team event through the world team rankings. They will now need a strong response as they prepare to face Indonesia in their second group match on Tuesday.
The Indian contingent will be eager to put this loss behind them and stay in contention for a knockout berth with an improved performance.
