Macau Open Badminton: Lakshya Sen, Tharun Mannepalli eliminated in semi -finals | Badminton News – Times of India

India’s challenge on the Macau Open Super 300 Badminton tournament ended on Saturday, both Lakshya Sen and Tharun Mannepalli fell in the semi -final of the men. Lakshya, a bronze medal winner at the 2021 world championships and the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, was surpassed by Alwi Farhan in Indonesia in straight competitions. The 23-year-old Indian, currently in 17th place in the world, fell 16-21, 9-21 in just 39 minutes. The defeat expanded a difficult season characterized by poor form and persistent injuries, including shoulder, back and ankle problems.In the other semi -final, Tharun Mannepalli aimed a brave fight against Justin Hoh from Malaysia, but was unable to convert a strong start into a victory. The 23-year-old Indian, in 47th place in the world, lost a debilitating three-game fight 21-19, 16-21, 16-21 in a meeting that lasted an hour and 21 minutes.Lakshya sen vs alwi farhanLakshya came to the tournament hoping to re -discover his rhythm for the World Championships in Paris. But it was Farhan-de World Champion 2023 and a member of the Sudirman Cup Bronze-Winning team of Indonesia who dictated from start to finish.Despite a promising 3-0 start in the opening match, Lakshya lost fast momentum when Farhan found his groove and took a 11-7 lead in the interval. With a combination of fresh drops and wild smashes, the world no. 25 Lakshya kept the defense. Although the Indian managed a few striking recordings, mistakes turned out to be expensive on crucial points. A wrong rated Serve and a long return Farhan handed the first match.The second game followed a well -known pattern. A 38-shot rally ended with a sharp Cross-Court winner from Farhan, who rose to an 11-5 lead during the break. Lakshya struggled to cope with the control of the Indonesians on the net and failed to establish a serious resistance. Farhan closed the game with clinical precision and converted his second match point after getting a dozen opportunities.Tharun Mannepalli vs Justin HohhIn contrast to Lakshya, Tharun started his semi -final with energy and intention. He ran to an 11-6 lead in the opening match and expanded the margin to 17-12 with some smart placements and solid defense. Although Justin Hoh assembled a late comeback to the scores on 18-all-all, Tharun kept his courage to take the first match 21-19 with a sharp straight return.The Malaysian, however, turned the tide in the second game. Justin took advantage of a series of errors from Tharun, stupid with 8-6 ahead, and although the Indian briefly pulled at 13-all at the age of 13, a series of loose shots helped to pull his opponent away. Justin claimed the second match 21-16 to force a decision maker.In the third game, Tharun again made a strong start and led 6-3, but was unable to maintain his momentum. Justin shifted with gears, mixing drops and fast counters to rise ahead. Tharun reduced the gap to 13-16 but faltered in the final phase. A well -placed shot by the Malaysian sealed the game and ended the hope of India in a finalist at the tournament.With both Lakshya and Tharun that go off in the semi -final, the India campaign on the Macau opened open without a stage finish. For Lakshya, the Focus is now shifting to recovery and preparation prior to the upcoming world championships in Paris.