India Open 2025: Kiran George finds a way to win after last season’s multiple heartbreaks

India Open 2025: Kiran George finds a way to win after last season’s multiple heartbreaks

Kiran George found himself in the unexpected role of being the sole Indian representative in the men’s singles quarterfinals of the India Open, a BWF World Tour 750 competition. However, it’s a position he rightfully earned, saving seven game points before defeating Alex Lanier of France 22-20, 21-14.

For much of the match, though, the result didn’t seem likely to unfold as it did.

Down 14-20 in the first game against Lanier, the Indian faced a monumental challenge in his second-round encounter.

Although Kiran held a 2-0 head-to-head record against the 19-year-old Frenchman going into the match, he wasn’t the obvious favourite.

Lanier, ranked world No. 17, is among the most highly-rated prospects on the World Tour, with a World Tour 750 title in Japan last year. The Frenchman had entered Thursday’s match buoyed by a first-round victory over Olympic silver medallist Kunlavut Vitidsarn.

Kiran, five years older, came into the event ranked 38th in the world and only made the draw after Anthony Ginting of Indonesia pulled out a day before the tournament.

Some players have abilities that far exceed their rankings, and Kiran is one of them. While he has displayed the potential to produce significant upsets — including wins over former World Championship silver medallist Shi Yuqi and Weng Hong Yang at the 2023 Thailand Open — his career has largely been marked by inconsistency. Kiran has gained a reputation for struggling to close out matches.

His 2024 season exemplified this pattern, as Sagar Chopda, Kiran’s long-time coach at Bengaluru ’s Prakash Padukone Academy, explains.

“There were at least five instances where he lost matches after holding match points or being in a winning position. He could have been a top-20 player and should at least be in the top 25 if not for that,” says Chopda.

Among those losses were defeats to Shogo Ogawa (a match point up at Syed Modi Tournament), Sholeh Aidil (game point up in the opening game before losing in two at Indonesia Masters), Kenta Nishimoto (two match points at China Masters), Weng Hong Yang (two match points at Indonesia Open), and Sathish Karunakaran (match point up at New Orleans Masters).

At the end of the 2024 season, Kiran’s coaches had a frank conversation with him, urging him to capitalise on his opportunities. While Kiran reportedly remained silent during the exchange, he has allowed his racquet to do the talking in New Delhi.

In his opening match against world No. 25 Yushi Tanaka of Japan, Kiran once again found himself in a precarious position, squandering a 14-6 lead and then a match point in the third game. However, this time, he saved four match points of his own before converting on his second opportunity to seal the victory.

“That result would have done wonders for his confidence. If he had lost another close match, it would have been very hard for him,” says former national coach Vimal Kumar, who also trains Kiran in Bengaluru.

It is difficult to pinpoint what has turned the tide for Kiran, but Chopda believes the difference lies in his mental approach. “He isn’t doing anything differently in training but seems willing to grind through tough moments. He’s keeping things simple and staying in rallies,” he explains.

Kiran echoes this sentiment. “I don’t think I’ve changed much in practice. I’m just willing to grind out matches now. I’ve been consistent in training, and things have started going my way,” he says.

That composure was evident on Thursday at the KD Jadhav Stadium. Facing a massive deficit in the first game, Kiran decided to stop overthinking his next moves and simply focus on playing the point.

“I think it took a lot of pressure off me. At 14-20 down, I wasn’t expected to win, so I played freely. I stayed patient and avoided giving away easy points. That’s ultimately what worked for me,” he says.

Once Kiran secured the opening game, it was Lanier who faltered in the second, as the Indian continued to play error-free badminton. With this victory, Kiran achieved his best result on the international circuit, surpassing his quarterfinal appearance at the World Tour 500 event in Thailand.

His coaches believe this could mark a turning point. “Kiran’s got excellent strokes and a very deceptive game. He should start securing big wins more consistently now,” says Vimal.

Kiran hopes to maintain this momentum. “I’m happy to have won these two matches. It’s given me confidence, and I just want to keep going,” he says.