India endured a mixed day at the China Masters in Shenzhen on Wednesday, with Lakshya Sen suffering an early exit while several of his compatriots booked their places in the second round.
The biggest setback came in men's singles, where Sen was beaten by world No. 9 Victor Lai in his opening match. The defeat continues a difficult spell for the Indian, who has struggled to find consistency during the 2026 season.
However, India's men's doubles campaign received a boost as Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the next round. The former world No. 1 pair produced a strong display to keep their challenge alive at the BWF Super 750 tournament.
Kidambi Srikanth also progressed in men's singles, giving India another player through to the second round. Teenage prospect Tanvi Sharma added to the positive results by winning her opening women's singles match.
The results leave India with a mixed picture after the opening rounds in Shenzhen. While Sen's early departure is a disappointment, the progress of Satwik and Chirag, Srikanth and Tanvi gives the Indian contingent plenty to build on as the tournament moves into the second round.
For Sen, the defeat adds to a frustrating season as he looks to regain the form that previously established him among the world's leading men's singles players.
The China Masters remains a major opportunity for India's remaining players, particularly Satwik and Chirag, who will be looking to make a deep run at one of the season's key BWF World Tour events.
