Srikanth defeats Naraoka to reach Japan Masters quarter-finals

Kidambi Srikanth, a former world No. 1, moved into the quarter-finals of the Japan Masters in Kumamoto after beating world No. 8 Kodai Naraoka in a three-game thriller, while fellow Indian Lakshya Sen also secured a place in the last eight, The Sentinel Assam reported.

Srikanth's upset over Naraoka

The match took place at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium, a venue for the BWF World Tour Super 500 event. Srikanth entered the encounter with a 0-4 head-to-head record against the Japanese shuttler, who was also the home favourite. After trailing 12-14 in the first game, Srikanth produced a run of seven consecutive points to claim the opening set 21-15. Naraoka responded by taking the second game, forcing a decider. In the third, Srikanth drew level at 7-7 before regaining control and closing the contest 21-18. The three-game battle lasted 60 minutes, and the Sentinel Assam noted that Srikanth will meet world No. 15 Koki Watanabe in the quarter-finals.

Lakshya Sen continues his strong run

Newly crowned Hylo Open champion Lakshya Sen added to India’s singles presence by defeating China’s Dong Tian Yao in straight sets, 21-8, 21-14. The victory was achieved in 35 minutes, showcasing Sen’s dominance on court. The Sentinel Assam highlighted that Sen’s next opponent will be Japan’s Yushi Tanaka, with a semi-final berth at stake. Sen’s performance underlines his rising form following his recent Hylo Open triumph.

Indian doubles teams bow out

India’s doubles challenge ended on Thursday in the round of 16. In the men’s draw, the pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun were beaten 21-14, 21-14 by Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi, a match that lasted 34 minutes. The women’s side saw World Championships bronze medallists Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela lose by the same scoreline, 21-14, 21-14, to the third-seeded Japanese duo Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi. The Sentinel Assam reported that these defeats marked the end of India’s doubles campaign at the tournament.

Recent highlights for Srikanth

The Sentinel Assam also recalled Srikanth’s earlier season successes. He recorded a win over Paris 2024 bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia at the US Open in June, a result that helped him finish as runner-up at that event. In September, Srikanth stunned then world No. 9 Victor Lai of Canada to reach the quarter-finals of the China Masters Super 750. These performances illustrate Srikanth’s consistent form heading into the Japan Masters quarter-finals.