Macau Open 2025: Tharun Mannepalli stuns top seed as India secures three quarterfinal spots

Tharun Mannepalli produced the biggest upset of the tournament so far by defeating top seed Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong to reach the quarterfinals of the Macau Open 2025.

He was joined in the last eight by Lakshya Sen, who battled past a spirited challenge from Indonesia’s Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo.

Tharun ranked world No. 47, showcased remarkable resilience and composure to overcome world No. 15 Lee in a three-game thriller that lasted over an hour. The 23-year-old bounced back after losing the opening game to register a memorable 19-21, 21-14, 22-20 victory, marking his second Super 300 quarterfinal appearance of the season, following the German Open earlier this year.

Tharun will next face Hu Zhe An of China, ranked world No. 87, for a shot at the semifinals.

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lakshya Sen held off Indonesia’s Wardoyo with a 21-14, 14-21, 21-17 win to book his place in the quarters. The closely fought encounter tested Sen's stamina and tactical discipline, but he held his nerve in the decider to continue his strong run in the tournament.

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for India. Young shuttler Ayush Shetty bowed out after a 18-21, 16-21 defeat to Malaysia’s Justin Hoh, ending his campaign in the men’s singles.

In the women’s singles, India’s Rakshitha Ramraj showed early promise but ultimately fell to Thailand’s experienced Busanan Ongbamrungphan, who prevailed 21-14, 10-21, 11-21 in a 51-minute contest.

The doubles events also brought disappointment for India. The mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, seeded fifth, were edged out in a tough three-game match by Malaysia’s Jimmy Wong and Lai Pei Jing, 21-19, 13-21, 18-21.

In the men’s doubles, the unseeded Indian pair Pruthvi Roy and K. Sai Pratheek lost 18-21, 18-21 to Malaysia’s fourth-seeded duo Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap.

Later in the day, India’s top-ranked men’s doubles duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lived up to expectations, overcoming a tough challenge from Japan’s Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki Nishi to book their place in the quarterfinals.

The Indian pair fought back from a slow start to register a 10-21, 22-20, 21-16 win in a match that lasted just over an hour, showcasing their grit and composure under pressure.

In the women’s doubles, Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra will take on the eighth-seeded Indonesian pair Meilysa Puspitasari and Rachel Rose.