The Indian men’s badminton team delivered a commanding performance in Nagoya on Tuesday, sweeping past Japan 3-0 to secure a medal at the Asian Games. The victory, built on a series of high-pressure wins, ensures India a spot in the semifinals, where they will face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between China and Korea.
While the men celebrated a significant milestone, the day proved difficult for the Indian women’s squad. Despite a clinical effort from World Championships bronze medallists Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, the team could not overcome the hosts, ultimately bowing out of the tournament with a 1-3 loss in their quarterfinal fixture.
A Dramatic Turnaround for the Men's Squad
The men’s campaign began with a remarkable comeback from
Building on that momentum, the formidable doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty extended the lead. The duo, who have secured two titles this season, defeated former world champions Hoki Takuro and Kobayashi Yugo 21-18, 24-22. Ayush Shetty then sealed the result for India, delivering an impressive 21-10, 21-19 victory over world No. 16 Koki Watanabe to confirm the team's place in the final four.
Reflecting on a Historic Parallel
The victory resonated deeply with former Indian coach Vimal Kumar, who drew parallels to the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul. Kumar, who competed alongside legends like Prakash Padukone and Syed Modi, recalled a similar triumph over Japan during his playing days. He noted that the current performance serves as a reminder of the legacy of Indian badminton, expressing his pride in seeing the modern squad replicate such a significant achievement on the continental stage.
For the women's team, the quarterfinal loss was marked by a challenging encounter for P.V. Sindhu. Although Sindhu showed resilience by winning a tightly contested opening game 23-21 against Akane Yamaguchi, the Japanese star fought back to take the second game 21-18. Yamaguchi eventually dominated the decider, pulling away to a 14-6 lead before closing out the match, ending India's run in the women's team event.
