India’s Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda bowed out of the Daihatsu Japan Open 2025 in the opening round, losing in straight games to home favourites Maiko Kawazoe and Kie Ishikawa. The Japanese duo dominated the match, winning 21-13, 21-7 in just 36 minutes.

Power Misfired, Touch Failed
The Panda sisters tried to play the power game, firing hard smashes mixed with soft net touches. But the plan backfired.

Their smashes lacked direction and often sailed outside the lines. The soft touches found the net more often than gaps, failing to disrupt the Japanese rhythm.

Also read : India’s Big Three Set for Japan Open 2025: Satwik-Chirag, Sindhu, Lakshya eye return to winning ways https://clickingtosports.com/pv-sindhu-ready-for-japan-open-2025/

Kawazoe and Ishikawa quickly spotted the pattern and pounced. In the second set, they gave the Indians no breathing room, closing out the match with sharp placements and relentless pressure.


What’s Next for Panda sisters
While the result is a setback, the match served as a reminder of the pace and precision needed at the Super 750 level. The Panda sisters, still relatively young on the world circuit, will now turn their focus to International Challenge events in the coming months.

Also read : After Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu’s highs, Indian badminton hits a new low https://timesofindia-indiatimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/badminton/after-saina-nehwal-and-pv-sindhus-highs-indian-badminton-hits-a-new-low/amp_articleshow/122106486.cms?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17525812913089&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Ftimesofindia.indiatimes.com%2Fsports%2Fbadminton%2Fafter-saina-nehwal-and-pv-sindhus-highs-indian-badminton-hits-a-new-low%2Farticleshow%2F122106486.cms