Thailand Open: India crash out as Treesa-Gayatri, singles stars suffer early exits

IANS May 15, 2025 200 views

India's campaign at the Thailand Open ended in disappointment as key players fell early. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, seeded third, lost to Japan's Hirokami and Hobara. In women's singles, Unnati Hooda was defeated by Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong, while other singles players also suffered losses. This reflects ongoing challenges for Indian badminton, hindered by absent or out-of-form top players.

"The performances failed to meet expectations." - Article Source
Bangkok, May 15: India's campaign at the Thailand Open 2025 came to a disappointing end on Thursday, as all remaining shuttlers, including top women's doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, bowed out in the second round of the BWF Super 500 tournament at Bangkok's Nimibutr Stadium.

Key Points

1

Treesa and Gayatri lose in second round against Japan's Hirokami and Hobara

2

India's singles hopes dashed by top Thai opponents led by Pornpawee Chochuwong

3

Men's challenge ends as Tharun Mannepalli loses to Denmark's Anders Antonsen

4

Indian badminton faces tough phase with major players missing or out of form

Seeded third and ranked 10th in the world, Treesa and Gayatri were expected to spearhead India's challenge in the absence of top singles stars. But despite a fighting start, the duo lost 20-22, 14-21 to Japan's Rui Hirokami and Sayaka Hobara in a 53-minute contest.

The Indian pair pushed the first game to the wire, showing glimpses of their quality, but failed to convert crucial points. The Japanese pair, buoyed by their narrow win, asserted complete control in the second game to knock out the Indian contenders.

With their exit, India's campaign came to a grinding halt as the remaining four singles players also suffered defeats earlier in the day. In the women's singles category, India's hopes were dashed by a trio of formidable Thai opponents. Rising star Unnati Hooda, ranked 45th in the world, was outclassed 21-14, 21-11 by top seed and world No. 6 Pornpawee Chochuwong.

Malvika Bansod, currently world No. 23, couldn't get past Thailand's former world champion Ratchanok Intanon. The seventh-seeded Thai shuttler used her experience and court craft to secure a 21-12, 21-16 win. Aakarshi Kashyap also met a similar fate, going down 21-9, 21-14 to fourth seed Supanida Katethong, who never let the Indian settle into any rhythm.

On the men's side, Tharun Mannepalli was the only Indian to reach the second round but faced an uphill task against world No. 3 Anders Antonsen of Denmark. The second-seeded Dane proved too strong for the Indian youngster, easing to a 21-14, 21-16 win. Earlier, Lakshya Sen and Priyanshu Rajawat had failed to progress past their first-round matches, extending India's lean patch in major BWF events.

This string of early exits highlights the ongoing struggles of Indian badminton at the elite level, especially with top names like PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy either missing or out of form. The Thailand Open was seen as a potential platform for upcoming talent to step up, but the performances failed to meet expectations.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Really disappointing performance from our shuttlers. Treesa-Gayatri had such a good chance to make a mark here. The first game was so close! 😔 We need better mental toughness in crunch moments. Hope they learn from this and come back stronger.
P
Priya M.
The Thai players were just too good today. Our girls fought hard but couldn't match their experience. Unnati Hooda is young though - she'll learn from playing against top seeds like Chochuwong. Rome wasn't built in a day!
A
Arjun S.
Where is our bench strength? When Sindhu and Prannoy are absent, there's no one to step up. BAI needs to invest more in grassroots development. Other countries have multiple players in top 20 - we rely on 2-3 stars only. #WakeUpCall
S
Sneha R.
Tharun Mannepalli showed promise against world no. 3! The scoreline doesn't tell the full story - he had some brilliant rallies. At least one positive to take from this tournament. Future looks bright for him 🇮🇳
V
Vikram J.
Our players need better exposure to different playing styles. The Thais and Japanese have such distinct techniques. Maybe more training camps abroad? The gap is visible in these tournaments. #InvestInSports
N
Neha P.
Let's not be too harsh. Badminton is one sport where India consistently produces world-class players. Even China has off tournaments. Treesa-Gayatri are still young - they'll bounce back! 💪 Next time, Bangkok!

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Tags:
Thailand Open 2025 Treesa Jolly Gayatri Gopichand Unnati Hooda Pornpawee Chochuwong Anders Antonsen Indian Badminton