Latest
Badminton

Korea Open 2026: Kharb and Sharma exit last 16 as Sindhu and Sen rest

Teenagers Tanvi Sharma and Anmol Kharb bow out in the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals at the Korea Open.

By , Editor

· 1 min read

Lakshya Sen
Lakshya Sen (file photo) Photo: Marcus Cyron / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

India’s P.V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen skipped the Korea Open to rest. Tanvi Sharma and Anmol Kharb reached the Round of 16 before losing to Japanese opponents.

Key takeaways

  • P.V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen skipped the Korea Open to rest.
  • Anmol Kharb lost 21-18, 21-18 to Akane Yamaguchi in the Round of 16.
  • Tanvi Sharma lost 21-18, 21-12 to Hina Akechi after leading 17-16 in the first game.
  • H.S. Prannoy lost 23-21, 21-15 to Yoo Tae-bin in the first round.

P.V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen skipped the Korea Open to rest, leaving India’s campaign without its senior star power at the BWF World Tour Super 500 event commonly held in Seoul. Tanvi Sharma and Anmol Kharb reached the Round of 16 in women’s singles, and both lost there.

Indian exits across singles and doubles

S. Prannoy, India’s lone men’s singles entrant, lost 23-21, 21-15 to home player Yoo Tae-bin in the first round, marking his third straight opening-round exit on the World Tour this year. In mixed doubles, Dhruv Rawat and K.

Maneesha lost 24-22 in the decider to China’s Zhu Yi Jun and Li Qian.

In qualifying, Arjun Reddy Pochana and Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu lost 21-14, 21-5 to China’s Xie Zewei and Wang Yue Hang, while Uganda International Series silver medallists Sonali Singh and Ritika Thaker gave a walkover.

Teenagers reach the last 16

Anmol Kharb beat Canada’s Rachel Chan in the Round of 32 before facing second seed and three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi in the Round of 16.

Kharb stayed level with Yamaguchi deep into both games through patient rally building, change-ups and sharp net play, but Yamaguchi’s experience decided both games 21-18. Tanvi Sharma, 17, outlasted Japan’s Manami Suizu in three games in the Round of 32.

Against Hina Akechi in the pre-quarterfinal, sharp cross-court angles gave Sharma a 17-16 lead in the opener, but Akechi stayed calm, took it 21-18, and turned the second game into a baseline grind, winning 21-12.

What happens next

India’s remaining campaign at the Korea Open continues after the Round of 16 exits, with no further Indian match details provided in the sources.

Sources

Topics

Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy or use the flag button above. Our editorial standards explain how we report.

Discussion

Sign in or create a free account to join the discussion. Please follow our community guidelines.