Japan Open LIVE: Lakshya Sen enters semifinal, Satwik-Chirag lose
Japan Open LIVE: Lakshya Sen defeated Japan’s Koki Watanabe 21-15, 21-19 to march into the semifinal at the Japan Open 2023 on Friday, 28th July 2023. Meanwhile, Men’s Doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty bowed out from the tournament. They suffered a 15-21, 25-23, 16-21 loss versus unseeded Chinese Taipei duo Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin.
Also Read: Japan Open Highlights: HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen, Satwik-Chirag enter quarterfinal
Men’s Singles
Lakshya Sen BEAT Koki Watanabe – 21-15, 21-19
HS Prannoy vs Viktor Axelsen – 11.30 am
Men’s Doubles
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty LOST TO Lee Yang/Wang Chi-lin – 15-21, 25-23, 16-21
Men’s Singles
Lakshya Sen vs Koki Watanabe
Lakshya Sen is standing the momentum that he has gained without winning the Canada Open a fortnight ago. The World No.12 is now eyeing his third successive semifinal visitation in the BWF Tour this season.
He was scrutinizingly on the verge of exit in the first round at the Japan Open. However he held his nerves and defeated his compatriot Priyanshu Rajawat without saving two match points. In the second round he was when at his weightier as he breezed past Kanta Tsuneyama with a 21-14, 21-16 victory.
Both the players will meet for the first time in the BWF Tour. They however have faced twice in the past, both at the Asian Junior Championships in 2016 and 2017. Their head-to-head record stands 1-1. Being the higher-ranked player, Lakshya Sen is expected to be the favourite in the upcoming clash.
Koki Watanabe like Lakshya Sen, clinched the first round victory versus his compatriot Kento Momota in three games. In the second round he met Malaysia’s Ng Tze Yong and sealed a 21-17, 21-14 win.
HS Prannoy vs Viktor Axelsen
HS Prannoy will squatter a big test as he takes on World No.1 and top seed Viktor Axelsen in the quarterfinal. Axelsen is inward the races without straight set wins versus Lin Chun-yi and Chico Dwi Wardoyo in the first two rounds at the Japan Open.
Prannoy meanwhile dropped a game in the second round versus compatriot Kidambi Srikanth as he sealed a 19-21, 21-9, 21-9 win. He sailed past Li Shi Feng in the opening round.
Prannoy met Axelsen older this year at the Indonesia Open. Axelsen sealed a 21-15, 21-15 victory. The Dane moreover leads the head-to-head record 6-2.
Men’s Doubles
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty vs Lee Yang/Wang Chi-lin
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have reached their third successive quarterfinal in the tour. Without dropping a game in the first round versus Indonesia’s Leo Carnando and Daniel Marthin, they sailed past Denmark’s Molhede-Bay pair with a 21-17, 21-11 win.
Chinese Taipei’s Wang Chi-lin and Lee Yang are moreover looking to seal their second successive semifinal visitation in the BWF Tour. They reached the quarterfinal at the Japan Open without a stunning 15-21, 21-18, 21-16 win versus sixth seed Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi.
The Indian pair lead 2-1 versus the Taiwanese duo. Their most recent meeting came at the Asian Championships this year. The Indian duo won the races pursuit a retirement from the Taiwanese duo due to an injury.
Where to watch Japan Open 2023 LIVE Streaming?
The matches can be watched LIVE on BWF TV on YouTube. Fans can moreover watch it on Jio Cinema App.
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