Asian Games: Sindhu-led India storm into badminton women’s team quarterfinals

India made a confident start to their Asian Games badminton campaign, defeating Kazakhstan 3-0 in the women’s team Round of 16 on Sunday to secure a place in the quarterfinals.

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu set the tone with a comfortable straight-games victory before Unnati Hooda doubled India's advantage. World Junior Championships silver medallist Tanvi Sharma then completed the clean sweep with another dominant win.

India will face Japan, who received a first-round bye, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. A victory in that tie would assure India of a place on the podium.

Sindhu needed just 24 minutes to overcome Kamila Smagulova 21-7, 21-9 in the opening match. The experienced Indian controlled the contest from the start, giving her team an early lead.

Unnati followed with a 21-7, 21-10 victory over Alissa Kuleshova in 22 minutes, putting India within touching distance of the quarterfinals.

Tanvi then wrapped up the tie in style, defeating Diana Namenova 21-5, 21-10 in only 19 minutes.

The quarterfinal against Japan is expected to provide a much sterner test. The tie could produce high-profile singles contests, with Sindhu potentially facing former world No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi and Unnati possibly taking on Tomoka Miyazaki.

The doubles matches could be equally challenging, with Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand potentially coming up against Japan's experienced combinations, including Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto and Kie Nakanishi-Suzu Iwana.

India's women's badminton team has won only one Asian Games team medal so far — a bronze at the 2014 Incheon Games. At the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, the Indian women's team exited in the quarterfinals after a 0-3 defeat to Thailand.

Meanwhile, India's men's team, which won silver at the previous edition, will begin its campaign on Monday against Bangladesh in the Round of 16.

The men's team enters the competition with a strong record from Hangzhou, where Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty created history by winning India's first Asian Games badminton gold medal. HS Prannoy also secured a bronze in the men's singles event.

Should India progress, another potentially demanding quarterfinal could await against Japan. Lakshya Sen could face Kodai Naraoka, while Ayush Shetty may meet Yushi Tanaka. In men's doubles, Satwik and Chirag could face Japan's Hiroki Okamura and Takuro Hoki, depending on the draw and results.