Badminton
Macau Open: Lakshya Sen, Tharun Mannepalli exit- Highlights
Get all the Highlights from the semi-finals of the 2025 Macau Open.
Indian badminton fans had much to cheer for on Friday as both Lakshya Sen and Tharun Mannepalli secured their spots in the men’s singles semi-finals of the 2025 Macau Open Super 300, notching up gritty three-game victories over Chinese opponents.
For Lakshya, this marked his first semifinal appearance on the BWF World Tour since winning the Syed Modi International late last year, breaking a streak of 10 early exits. Up against Xuan Chen Zhu, the rising Chinese shuttler and Thailand Masters semi-finalist, Lakshya came out with renewed intent.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Tharun Mannepalli showed tremendous poise as he stunned the reigning junior world champion Zhu An Hu in a nail-biting encounter.
But, it didn't last long as both Tharun and Lakshya bowed out in the semi-finals after losing their matches against Malaysian (Justin Hoh) and Indonesian (Alwi Farhan) opponents, respectively.
As it happened:
Live Updates
- 2 Aug 2025 4:56 AM GMT
Level again! Tharun makes it 14-14 in the second game!
It’s all square once more as Tharun Mannepalli levels the score at 14-14 in this gripping second game. The Indian has shown impressive resilience, refusing to let Justin Hoh run away with the lead.
- 2 Aug 2025 4:54 AM GMT
Tharun fights back, trails narrowly at 12-13!
Tharun Mannepalli has clawed his way back into the contest, cutting down Justin Hoh’s lead to just one point at 12-13. After falling behind 7-10, the Indian shuttler tightened up his game with sharper net play and better control in the rallies.
- 2 Aug 2025 4:49 AM GMT
Hoh turns the tide, leads 10-7 in second game!
Justin Hoh has found his rhythm and is starting to take control of the second game. The Malaysian shuttler now leads 10-7, capitalising on a few loose points from Tharun Mannepalli.
- 2 Aug 2025 4:43 AM GMT
Tight battle as Tharun leads 5-4 in second game!
The second game is shaping up to be a neck-and-neck contest. Tharun Mannepalli holds a slender 5-4 lead over Justin Hoh, with both players engaging in longer, more tactical rallies.
- 2 Aug 2025 4:39 AM GMT
Tharun starts the second game with a 2-1 lead!
Carrying the momentum from his hard-fought first game win, Tharun Mannepalli has made a steady start in the second game, leading 2-1 against Justin Hoh.
- 2 Aug 2025 4:37 AM GMT
Tharun takes the opening game 21-19!
What a gritty finish! Tharun Mannepalli holds his nerve to close out the first game 21-19 against Malaysia’s Justin Hoh. After squandering a healthy lead and seeing the scores tied at 18-all, the Indian shuttler dug deep to take three of the last four points and seal the opener.
- 2 Aug 2025 4:34 AM GMT
Tharun steadies just in time, reaches game point at 20-18!
Under immense pressure, Tharun Mannepalli shows great composure to halt Justin Hoh’s momentum and reclaim control. The Indian wins two crucial points in a row to move ahead 20-18, earning himself two game points.
- 2 Aug 2025 4:32 AM GMT
All square at 18-18 as Hoh storms back!
Justin Hoh has completely erased Tharun Mannepalli’s lead, levelling the score at 18-18 in a dramatic turnaround. The Malaysian has upped the tempo and is dominating the rallies, while Tharun appears rattled under pressure.
- 2 Aug 2025 4:31 AM GMT
Hoh closes the gap as Tharun’s lead narrows to 18-16!
The tide is starting to shift slightly as Malaysia’s Justin Hoh mounts a comeback. Tharun Mannepalli’s earlier 6-point cushion has been cut down to just two, with the score now at 18-16.
