In the decider though, it was Lakshya who was setting the pace again and staying ahead till the mid point. But the final change of ends, after more than an hour of play, it was Lakshya who plateaued, and Leong's relentless pressure -- the precise touch finding the lines and quick movement to match -- prevailed.

Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu sailed into the pre-quarterfinals but Lakshya Sen made an opening-round exit from the Kumamoto Masters Japan Super 500 tournament on Wednesday.

PV Sindhu made a winning start to her campaign, outclassing eighth seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan in straight games in the women's singles first round. However, Lakshya Sen lost in the opening round of men's singles.

India’s top badminton players, PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, are gearing up to make a strong return at the 2024 Kumamoto Masters Japan Su..|News Track

PV Sindhu will start the day's action for India with a comfortable win in the round of 32 against Thailand's Busanan. Later, Lakshya Sen will face a Malaysian player in his first-

India's top women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand lost in the first round of the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2024.