Devika, Prannoy lose on day 1 of China Masters
Indian badminton players Devika Sihag and H.S. Prannoy were eliminated in the opening round of the China Masters. Both athletes suffered defeats in their respective singles matches on the first day of the tournament.
Why it matters
This represents a setback for Indian representation in a high-stakes international badminton tournament with a significant prize pool.
Devika Sihag put up a spirited fight before going down in three games. At the same time, H.S. Prannoy bowed out after a straight-game defeat as India endured a disappointing opening day at the $2,000,000 China Masters in Changzhou on Tuesday (July 21, 2026).
Devika, the Thailand Open Super 300 champion, rallied after dropping the opening game but could not sustain the momentum, losing 19-21, 21-19, 13-21 to World No. 20 Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the women's singles opening round.
Prannoy, a 2023 World Championships bronze medallist, also lost in the men's opening round after suffering a 10-21, 14-21 defeat to Malaysia's Leong Jun Hao.
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