India’s campaign at the Thailand Masters Super 300 tournament ended in disappointment on Friday as all remaining shuttlers, including former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth, bowed out after suffering defeats in their respective quarter-final matches.
Kidambi Srikanth, currently ranked 47th in the world, faced a tough challenge in the men’s singles quarter-final against China’s sixth seed Wang Zhengxing. Srikanth fought hard but ultimately fell in straight games, losing 21-17, 21-16. Wang controlled the match from the beginning, dictating the tempo and keeping Srikanth on the back foot. Although the Indian shuttler showed resilience in patches, he struggled to capitalize on key moments, allowing Wang to close out the match with confidence.
In the men’s doubles category, the promising Indian duo of Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and K Sai Pratheek, seeded eighth in the tournament, took on Indonesia’s second-seeded pair Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Daniel Martin. Despite a valiant effort, the Indian pair fell short in a tightly contested encounter, losing 21-19, 21-18. They displayed flashes of brilliance but were unable to break their opponents' consistency in crucial phases of the match.
India’s final hope in the tournament, Rakshitha Ramraj, put up a spirited fight in the women’s singles quarter-final against Thailand’s Thamonwan Nithiittikrai. Rakshitha started strong, winning the opening game 21-19, but her momentum dipped in the next two games. Nithiittikrai found her rhythm and dominated the later stages, winning 14-21, 9-21 to secure her place in the semi-finals.
With these losses, India’s campaign at the Thailand Masters 2025 came to a premature end. While the players showcased glimpses of their potential, they struggled to convert opportunities against higher-ranked opponents. The tournament highlighted areas for improvement, and the Indian contingent will look to bounce back stronger in upcoming international events.
