SYDNEY: Indian shuttlers, including HS Prannoy, Ayush Shetty and Tharun Mannepalli, notched hard-fought wins in the men’s singles competition to make a positive start at the USD 475,000 Australian Open Super 500 event here on Wednesday.

Prannoy, a runner-up at this event in 2023, recovered from a poor opening game to beat world No. 85 Yohanes Saut Marcellyno 6-21 21-12 21-17 in 57 minutes in the first round match.

The 33-year-old from Kerala, an Asian Games bronze winner and World Championships bronze-medallist in 2023, will take on eighth seed Alwi Farhan of Indonesia next.

World No. 32 Ayush, who claimed his maiden Super 300 title at the US Open earlier this year, dismissed Canada’s Sam Yuan 21-11 21-15 in 33 minutes.

The 20-year-old from Karnataka, a bronze-medallist at the 2023 Wo

See Full Page