All England Open Badminton Championships - Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Britain - March 14, 2023 India's Lakshya Sen in action during his round of 32 men's singles match against Taiwan's Chou Tien-chen Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
All England Open Badminton Championships 2023 highlights: Both the Indians in action on day 1 of the All England Championships sailed through to the second round without too much of drama. While World No 9 HS Prannoy beat Wang Tzu Wei 21-19, 22-20 in their opener to set up an encounter with Anthony Ginting, compatriot Lakshya Sen defeated fifth seeded Chou Tien Chen 21-18, 21-19. Lakshya was a finalist last year. The 21-year-old Lakshya won men’s singles gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham but has since been searching for form after nasal surgery disrupted his progress at the end of 2022.
The rest of the Indian contingent will take the court for their opening matches on Wednesday. This includes India’s top men’s doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who will take on compatriots Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala in their opening round game. Meanwhile, Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal pulled out of the tournament.
So far, only two Indians – Prakash Padukone in 1980 and Pullela Gopichand in 2001 – have won the prestigious All England Championship. Three Indians – Prakash Nath, Saina and Lakshya – have come close, but lost in the final.
Scroll down to catch all the live updates from All England Open Badminton Championships 2023, brought to you by Amit Kamath and our badminton expert, Shivani Naik. You can also read our preview, our piece on the talking points for the Indian contingent, and a piece on everything you need to know ahead of the action starting.
PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen and the doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. (FILE)
And with that, we have come to the end of our live coverage of Day 1 of the All England 2023.
If you've had even half as much fun following the blog as we've had running it, well, then we've twice as much fun running the blog as you've had following it.
We'll be back tomorrow with more action from the All England Championships.
Lakshya Sen beats fifth seeded Chou Tien Chen 21-18, 21-19 to enter the second round of the All England! He's the second Indian shuttler to enter the second round after HS Prannoy earlier in the day. Rest of the Indian shuttlers play their openign round encounters tomorrow.
Lakshya Sen gets two match points thanks to a service error from his opponent.
Lakshya Sen claims a 19-17 lead with a ferocious smash.
Chou Tien Chen responds by winning the next point with a down-the-line smahs of his own!
Getting increasingly intense here!
He takes a 16-13 lead, but to get that last point he returns a couple of shots that he had no business returning. Just instinctively flicked the shuttle back with his racquet before leaping high and raining a sledgehammer smash to claim the point
Sen has maintained a scorching pace on either side of that 47 shot rally and will hope to wrap this in two. A set and 11-10 up.
There you go! All level once again at 10-10.
Keeping in line with the see-saw nature of this contest, Lakshya, who looks tired, has raced to a 10-8 lead! Just like Chen won five straight points, he's responded with a run of five points on the trot as well.
A 34-point rally ends with Lakshya hitting a tired shot and making an error. He's now conceded 5 straight points on the trot to Chou, who went from 3-5 down to 8-5 up!
What a rally!
Lakshya Sen and Chou Tien Chen go at each other like prizefighters raining down haymakers at each other's bodies while simultaneously defending like their lives depended on it.
Lakshya finally gets the better, but not before he throws down a hail of smashes and sees each one of them returned by Chen.
It seemed like luck was on Chou Tien Chen's side when he got the shuttle to hit the net cord and just topple over on the other side at a crucial moment ion the game. But Lakshya had the finish line in sight and strode to claim the first game.
Remarkable how flat this game is. Both shuttlers wary of tossing the shuttle up, resulting in quicker rallies. And in the blink of an eye, Lakshya Sen is already on the cusp of winning the first game.
The Indian has a lead goign into the mid-game interval against the fifth seed.
Lakshya Sen is getting the drift to work for him by targeting the tram lines on the backhand side of Chen. Very short rallies so far, with both shuttlers not pulling any punches and not being afraid to make errors in the process.
Chou Tien Chen takes a 3-1 lead, thanks to his smashes. Lakshya cuts it down and levels at 3-3. Chen smashes to take 4-3 lead.
Chou Tien Chen loses the first point, and a challenge!
We're minutes away from the second Indian shuttler starting their All England 2023 campaign. After HS Prannoy made it to the second round, Lakshya Sen will take on Chou Tien Chen.
For the 4th time in 4 tournaments this year, Nozomi Okuhara is headed for the exit in the first round itself. This time, it comes at the hands of Pornpawee Chochuwong, who has beaten the Japanese shuttler 21-11, 21-15
It wasn't a marathon match like the half dozen times before. But Wang Tzu Wei of Taiwan did stalk and snap at the heels of HS Prannoy all the way, before bowing out 21-19, 22-20 to the Indian.
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Remember Nozomi Okuhara? The Japanese shuttler who battled PV Sindhu for 110 tiresome minutes in the final of the World Championships in 2017 before emerging victorious?
She has been struggling in 2023. Okuhara has lost all three of her games on the BWF World Tour so far this year, with opening round defeats to Chen Yufei (Malaysia Open), Carolina Marin (India Open) and He Bing Jiao (Indonesia Masters).
She seems to be headed for another Round of 32 exit, this time at the hands of Pornpawee Chochuwong, who has taken a first game lead by beating Okuhara 21-11.
In some time, Lakshya Sen will take on Chou Tien Chen in a mouthwatering Round 1 encounter.
Chen is likely to be a tough opponent, who has been previously a World No 2. More incredibly, he rose to the World No 2 spot when he had no coach for a nearly two-year phase in 2019 and 2020. Despite having no coaching, he made it to the final of six competitions in 2019 and 2020 seasons (the latter was truncated due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Instead of a coach in his corner, he used to work with a personal physiotherapist Victoria Kao, who was also an expectations manager for the shuttler.
According to an article on the Olympics website, Chen relies on pilates and belly dancing to maintain shape and agility.
Shivani Naik writes: So, Prannoy will play Anthony Ginting in Round 2 at the All England. Ginting packed off Kantaphon Wangcharoen in straight sets, 21-17, 21-19.
Prannoy has played the speedy Ginting thrice and leads their head to head, 2-1.
Elsewhere in women's doubles, the fifth-seeded Malaysian pair of Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan are trailing against the Japanese pairing of Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara. The Japanese pair took the first game 21-13. They unseeded pairing never really trailed in the first game, an indicator of how good they were.
Zhao Jun Peng has beaten Loh Kean Yew 21-16, 16-21, 21-whoa-7!!
The Chinese marches into second round.
The opening round encounter between Anthony Sinisuka Ginting and Kantaphon Wangcharoen is heating up. Ginting took the first game 21-17 and leads the second one 6-3.
Lakshya Sen reached the final of the All England last year.
This year, his route is slightly more tricky.
He has drawn fifth seed Chou Tien Chen in the opening round. Should he win, he will face the victor of the contest between the Danish pair of Anders Antonsen and Rasmus Gemke in Round 2.
Singapore's eight-seed Loh Kean Yew has been ousted by China's Jun Peng Zhao 16-21, 21-16, 7-21.
His ranking might have seen a sharp drop to World No 19 this week, but Lakshya Sen will fancy his chances at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham for the All England, based on his past results there.
It's already his fourth All England, and he has a final, a quarterfinal and a Round of 16 upward progression each successive time since 2020, when he played the first time - losing to Viktor Axelsen once more.
But he can count among his scalps over the three editions, Lee Zii Jia, Anders Antonsen, Sourabh Verma and Thai Kantaphon Wangcharoen. He's run into the tall wall of Viktor twice, and lost to the towering Mark Caljouw in 2021 earlier.
His form heading into the All England though has been worrisome - he's made quarters or better in only 5 of the 15 last tournaments played, including last year's All E.
His pathway includes familiar opponents in Antonsen (1-0) / Gemke (1-1) and Ginting (3-0)/ Prannoy (4-3), through quarters. But he will need to beat back Chou Tien Chen in the opener. Tien Chen's controlled, error-free game tends to frustrate Sen who's lost both times the two have played prior.
Both matches against the Taiwanese were three setters though, drawing hope.
Managing Sen's fragile shoulder was the challenge post his Commonwealth Games triumph. And Heath Matthews, who worked wonders for Sen over the CWG fortnight, is accompanying him once more in a Birmingham reunion.
Matthews had lauded Sen's commitment back then, including the extreme ice baths for recovery as the Games wound down. But it is the preventive taping alongside the dynamic workouts and light tissue rehab that will again be at play, keeping Matthews busy.
Sen's defence will need to kick in bigly, if he has to counter Chou Tien Chen, and proceed against opponents he can beat relatively easily. But it is a stiff Round 1 by all accounts, though it is at a venue Sen has done well at.
The Indian-origin pairing of Srivedya Gurazada and Ishika Jaiswal, representing USA, lost lost in straight games to England's Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith.
They lost 9- 21, 18-21
HS Prannoy is known for two things: upsetting big-name players, and his powerful smashes that he employs as frequently as the Hulk.
There is a back story behind how the smash was refined by the shuttler: it was a tribute to Taufik Hidayat.
Read.
On the TV court, Court 1, the Indian-origin pairing of Srivedya Gurazada and Ishika Jaiswal, representing USA, will take on England's Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith.
The Minions might be missing from action, but Indonesia still has five solid pairings in men's doubles. Defending champs who are unseeded - Maulana-Fikri, have started well with 21-15, 13-21, 21-16 win over Koreans Kim-Kim.
The Utilita Arena interestingly did not host the Badminton event at Commonwealth Games in 2022, which was instead held at the exhibition centre. The vast expanse of the arena was used for gymnastics last August.
Court 1 at the All England is named after Minoru Yoneyama, the founder of badminton equipment making giants
Shivani Naik writes: In women's singles, fourth seeded Olympic champion Chen Yufei has beaten Michelle Li 22-20, 21-14. Yufei looking for her second All England title.
Frenetic defending of body attack from Prannoy there, as he completes a 21-19, 22-20 victory over Tzu Wei Wang. He couldn't shrug him off the net, but leaned on his power smashes to eke this one out.
Prannoy into Round 2.
India's HS Prannoy is through to the second round after defeating Chinese Taipei's Wang Tzu Wei 21-19, 22-20. It was a nervy clash, where anyone could have won it. At one point in the second game, the score was 19-19, then 20-20, and finally Prannoy claimed victory at 22-20.
What a game!
The second game is at 19-19. The drama!
An incredible cross-court smash from Prannoy to level at 15-15, and leave his opponent sprawled on the ground!
A cross smash for a change after the down the line ones to take a narrow 11-10 lead in the second set for Prannoy. Wang trying to catch him on the backhand forecourt, but Prannoy brings the power game to the table to break the clutches
Finally! After some nervy moments in the second stanza, HS Prannoy has managed to just about edge ahead of Wang in the second game. He's up 11-10. But it hasn't been a walk in the park for the man who has earned himself a reputation as a giant-killer on the tour.
There is that cross drop again from Wang that leaves Prannoy scrambling, as Wang takes the lead - 6-5 for the first time.
Just when Wang was threatening to go on a rampaging run of his own after taking 7-5 lead, Prannoy halts the Taiwanese shuttler's momentum with a down the line smash.
6-5 now in the second game in favour of the Chinese Taipei shuttler as the Indian has allowed Wang to make a comeback after trailing 0-4.
Neat little cushioning lead of 4-0 to start for Prannoy as Wang spraying it long. 5-2 now before a quick towel down.
Shivani Naik writes: Backline clear goes wide as Wang levels at 19-19. Two clutch points come from straight pushes as Prannoy takes the opener 21-19.
HS Prannoy claims the first game 21-19 after allowing his Chinese Taipei opponent to catch up at 19-19. The Indian was leading 11-4 at the mid-game interval and had a yawning lead afterwards too, but allowed Wang to keep his foot in door.
Shivani Naik writes: A lot of shoulder on that straight smash to go to 19-13 but Wang pushing ahead to come to within three points again at 16-19
Shivani Naik writes: Six of their 7 matches have gone to deciders, with Prannoy leading 4-3. Wang closing in the gap in the opener to within three points, but Prannoy goes on the offensive to lead 18-13
Lots of errors creeping into Prannoy's game now. Right after he hits the bird wide, he smashes one into the net. Wang isn't forcing the Indian to make any of these errors. These are mostly self-inflicted wounds.
Score at 12-14 now, with Prannoy in the lead. BARELY!
There is some life in this contest after all, as Wang starts gathering momentum. Suddenly he is just three points away from Prannoy at 10-13.
So far, the pair has played each other seven times, with Prannoy holding a slender 4-3 advantage. Can he make it 5-3?
Shivani Naik writes: Prannoy has the better of net exchanges against Wang Tzu Wei as the Taiwanese is error prone. Long rallies already, as the Indian No 9 starts well with 11-4 at first midgame interval.
HS Prannoy is just not letting the Taiwanese player settle into any sort of rhythm. Each time he breaks the Indian's serve, the World No 9 regains his serve.
No surprise then that he's taken an 11-4 lead already.
Prannoy has taken an 6-3 lead in the first game.
Prannoy dropped his serve with an error on the net and regained it almost immediately with a gorgeous drop shot. Since then, in all the rallies the pair has had, the Indian has kept hitting them long to Wang's backhand side. It's a strategy that is bearing results.
HS Prannoy will be the first Indian shuttler to take the court at this year's All England. Across the net will be Wang Tzu Wei.
Wang is a World no 24 shuttler from Chinese Taipei. He has competed in three tournaments this year: Malaysia Masters, India Open and Indonesia Open. In each of the three, he's never progressed beyond the second round.
Day 1 of the 2023 All England will see Round of 32 action in all five sections. In all, 40 matches will be played across four courts.
While Prannoy plays his game against Wang Tzu Wei on Court 4, Lakshya Sen will face Chou Tien Chen on Court 1.
The first two editions of the All England were actually not called that! It was initially named “Badminton Association Tournament”. In the early years, it was considered (particularly after the first Thomas Cup in 1949) the unofficial World Badminton Championships. Then, in 1977, International Badminton Federation launched its official championships. The All England have only ever been halted twice: during World War I from 1915 to 1919 and World War II from 1940 to 1946!
The All England tournament, bileld as the most prestigious badminton events in the world, was first organised in April 4, 1899. back then, contests were held in only three categories: Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles were added the following year.