Sathish Kumar loses in second round; India's campaign ends at Japan Open

NEW DELHI: Indian shuttler Sathish Kumar Karunakaran's journey at the Japan Open Super 750 badminton tournament concluded on Thursday following a hard-fought second-round loss to Thailand's Kantaphon Wangcharoen.
Despite securing the first game, the 23-year-old Indian, currently unranked due to his recent inactivity, couldn't maintain the momentum against the world number 40.
Wangcharoen rallied back to claim the subsequent two games, ultimately winning the match 18-21, 21-18, 21-8 in a 70-minute battle at the Yokohama Arena.
Karunakaran's exit marks the end of Indian participation in the tournament.
He had advanced to the second round after his first-round opponent, world number 3 Anders Antonsen, retired due to injury while trailing 6-1.
This tournament saw Karunakaran return to international competition after a period of absence.
His most recent achievement was clinching his maiden BWF title at the Odisha Masters Super 100 earlier this year, signalling his potential on the badminton court.
While his journey in Japan has ended, the young shuttler will be looking to build upon the experience gained as he continues his pursuit of higher rankings and greater success on the international stage.