India’s Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian pulled off a stunning upset at the Swiss Open 2025, defeating world No. 2 Anders Antonsen in a thrilling three-game match at Basel’s St. Jakobshalle on Thursday night. The 64th-ranked Indian shuttler overcame a first-game loss to register a remarkable 18-21, 21-12, 21-5 victory in 66 minutes.
Antonsen, who previously endured a shocking defeat in Basel during the 2019 World Championships final, struggled to find his rhythm in the decider. While the Danish star made several unforced errors, misjudging the shuttle and missing the sidelines, Sankar’s defensive resilience proved decisive.
The young Indian, who has modeled his game on former Japanese world champion Kento Momota, displayed exceptional control and precision throughout the match. “Yes, I played defensively, but it’s also about precision. My offense has improved,” Sankar had said earlier this year.
His coach, Aravind, acknowledged the doubts surrounding Sankar’s style. “They said he wouldn’t survive U15s, then U17s. Even after reaching the U19 World Junior final, they claimed seniors would be different. Criticism never stops,” Aravind said. But on Thursday, Sankar’s defensive skills frustrated Antonsen and sealed a career-defining victory.
Treesa-Gayatri Cruise Into Quarter-Finals
India’s top women’s doubles pair, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, secured a quarter-final spot with a dominant straight-game win over Germany’s Amelie Lehmann and Selin Hubsch. The ninth-ranked Indian duo breezed through their match, winning 21-12, 21-8.
Mixed Fortunes for Indian Shuttlers
It was a tough day for India in men’s singles, as Priyanshu Rajawat fell to France’s Toma Junior Popov 21-15, 21-17 in 47 minutes. Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth, who had earlier defeated compatriot HS Prannoy, lost to China’s sixth-ranked Li Shifeng in straight games (15-21, 11-21) in under 40 minutes.
In women’s singles, Anupama Upadhyaya and Isharani Baruah also suffered defeats, ending India’s challenge in the category.
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