India’s shuttlers began their Australian Open Super 500 campaign on a high, with H.S. Prannoy, Ayush Shetty, and Tharun Mannepalli registering impressive wins in the opening round of men’s singles on Wednesday. The trio displayed determination and skill in overcoming tough opponents at the USD 475,000 event.
Veteran H.S. Prannoy, runner-up at the same tournament last year, showcased his trademark resilience in a hard-fought comeback victory over Indonesia’s Yohanes Saut Marcellyno. After a sluggish start where he lost the first game 6-21, Prannoy regained control with sharp net play and patient rallies to clinch the next two games 21-12, 21-17 in a 57-minute battle. The 33-year-old, who won bronze medals at both the Asian Games and World Championships in 2023, will next face eighth seed Alwi Farhan of Indonesia in the second round.
Youngster Ayush Shetty continued his impressive rise on the international circuit with a commanding 21-11, 21-15 win over Canada’s Sam Yuan in just 33 minutes. The 20-year-old from Karnataka, currently ranked world No. 32, carried the confidence of his maiden Super 300 triumph at the US Open earlier this year. A bronze-medallist at the 2023 World Junior Championships, Ayush will now await the winner of the match between Japan’s fourth seed Kodai Naraoka and Canada’s Xiaodong Sheng.
Tharun Mannepalli also delivered a gritty performance, edging Denmark’s Magnus Johannesen 21-13, 17-21, 21-19 in a tense 66-minute encounter. The 2023 National Games gold-medallist, who reached the semifinals at the Macau Open, held his nerve in the decider to seal his spot in the next round. He now faces a challenging test against fifth seed Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei.
Meanwhile, Kiran George fell narrowly short despite a spirited effort against Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto, losing 21-11, 22-24, 17-21 after a tight three-game duel. Nishimoto, seeded sixth, had recently defeated India’s Lakshya Sen on his way to the final at the Japan Masters.
With Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth yet to take the court later in the day, India’s campaign in Coomesville already carries strong momentum. The early wins from Prannoy, Ayush, and Mannepalli underline India’s growing depth in men’s singles — a promising sign as the tournament moves into its crucial stages.
