China Open 2024: Priyanshu Rajawat makes first-round exit

Indian shuttler Priyanshu Rajawat lost to Canada’s Brian Yang in straight games in the first round of the China Open on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old Indian went down 13-21, 16-21 to Yang in 36 minutes.

The Indian, who had won Orleans Masters last year, is currently ranked 36th in the world and was a member of the Indian Thomas Cup winning team in 2022.

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Few Indian shuttlers who competed at the Paris Olympics including PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen and the doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were absent from the tournament.

Kiran George, world number 40, is now the only Indian challenger left in the men’s singles event. He will face Japanese shuttler Kenta Nishimoto in the round of 32.

The women’s doubles team of Gayatri Gopichand-Treesa Jolly and Rutaparna Panda-Swetaparna Panda will be in action along with N Sikki Reddy and B Sumeeth Reddy, who will lead the challenge in mixed doubles competition.

Aakarshi Kashyap, Malvika Bansod and Samiya Imad Farooqui will compete in the women’s singles event.

(With inputs from PTI)