Malaysia Masters 2023 Day 3 Highlights: PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth advance to quarters, Lakshya Sen bows out

Hello and welcome to the Khel Now live blog for day 3 of the Malaysia Masters 2023! Stay tuned for live updates as players eye place in the Malaysia Masters 2023 quarter-finals.

Malaysia Masters 2023, a BWF Super 500 Tournament, started on May 23 and will continue till May 28. The inaugural edition was held in 2009. This will be its 14th edition. India have won three titles here and all came in the women’s singles category. PV Sindhu won twice in 2013 and 2016, while Saina Nehwal won in 2017.

This time Indian shuttlers will look to end the title drought here and would want to perform well since the Olympic qualification cycle for Paris 2024 has already begun. They would want to get those valuable points. No Doubles players are participating in this tournament so eyes will be all on the singles player to deliver and regain their form.

Day 1 & 2 Summary

PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, and Lakshya Sen advanced to the Round of 16 stage of Malaysia Masters with contrasting wins. While Sindhu overcame a stiff challenge from Denmark's Line Christophersen, Srikanth had it easy against the lower-ranked Toma Junior Popov in straight games in the opening round.

HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen were also made to work hard in their respective wins. Prannoy came from a game down to defeat Taiwanese badminton player Chou Tien Chen 16-21, 21-14, 21-13. While, Lakshya Sen also overcame former World No. 1 Loh Kean Yew in three games (21-10, 16-21, 21-9).

On the other, it was curtains for young Aakarshi Kashyap, Ashmita Chaliha, and Malvika Bansod in the women's singles. Kashyap lost to top-seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 21-17, 21-12 in the women's singles opening round, while Ashmita Chaliha went down against 4th seed Han Yue of China in straight games (21-17, 21-17). Later in the day, Malvika Malvika lost to China’s Wang Zhi Yi by 11-21, 13-21.