The victory marks a significant result for the world number 13, who had previously traded wins with the 24th-ranked Chi during their encounters at the Malaysia Open and Australia Open last year. While Sen moved forward in the men's singles draw, it proved to be a challenging day for the Indian contingent in the doubles categories, as both competing pairs were eliminated from the competition.
A Tactical Battle in Kumamoto
The men's singles match was a closely contested affair from the outset. In the opening game, Sen found himself trailing 4-7 early on, with Chi maintaining a narrow 11-10 advantage at the mid-game interval. Following the break, the Taiwanese shuttler extended his lead to 15-11, but Sen gradually regained momentum. Utilizing a superior net game and precise cross-court smashes, the Indian leveled the score at 16-16. Despite a brief surge from Chi, Sen remained composed, eventually securing the first game after winning a decisive rally to close it out 21-19.
The second game mirrored the intensity of the first, with the players locked at 8-8 before Sen established a three-point cushion by the interval. Although Chi managed to draw level at 13-13 and later took a slim 17-16 lead, Sen responded with a decisive burst of energy to regain control at 19-17. The match concluded when Chi’s return of serve found the net, handing the Indian a 21-18 victory and a place in the next round.
Mixed Results for Indian Doubles Pairs
While Sen progressed, the doubles matches resulted in disappointment for India. Dhruv Rawat and K. Maneesha were defeated by the fourth-seeded duo of Ye Hong Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan from Chinese Taipei, falling 21-16, 14-21, 14-21. In another fixture, the top-seeded Chinese pair of Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin proved too strong for Hariharan Amsakarunan and Tanisha Crasto, who exited the tournament following a 7-21, 9-21 loss.
