Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh lost their BWF World Championships debut 21-16, 29-30, 22-24 to Turkey's Emre Sonmez and Yasemen Bektas in New Delhi after missing seven match points.

Indian mixed doubles pair Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh suffered a heartbreaking defeat on their BWF World Championships debut, losing to Turkey's Emre Sonmez and Yasemen Bektas in a marathon contest in New Delhi.

The Indian pair won the opening game 21-16 but could not close out the second despite holding six match points. Turkey eventually won the game 30-29 before completing a 24-22 victory in the decider. The Indians also had a match point in the third game.

The defeat ended their campaign, but their performance showed how closely they could compete at the highest level after receiving a late opportunity to enter the tournament.

Strong Start for India

Ashith and Amrutha settled quickly in front of the home crowd and controlled the opening exchanges. Their attacking combinations created problems for Sonmez and Bektas, allowing the Indians to build a comfortable lead.

They eventually took the opening game 21-16, putting themselves within one game of victory on their World Championships debut.

The Turkish pair, however, responded strongly in the second game and forced the Indians into a prolonged battle.

Six Match Points Missed

The second game became the turning point. Ashith and Amrutha created six opportunities to finish the match, but could not convert any of them.

The score eventually reached 29-29. Under the tournament's applicable golden-point situation, the next rally became decisive. Turkey won it to take the game 30-29 and level the match.

That single rally changed the momentum of the contest and sent the match into a deciding game.

Decider Remains Tight

The third game followed the same pattern, with neither combination able to establish a clear advantage. The Indians remained competitive despite the disappointment of losing the second game from such a strong position.

Ashith and Amrutha earned another match point but again failed to finish. Sonmez and Bektas held their nerve during the closing exchanges and eventually secured the game 24-22.

The Turkish pair completed the comeback after losing the opening game.

Fine Margins Decide Match

The numbers reflected just how close the contest was. The Indians reportedly won 72 points across the match, compared with 70 for their opponents, yet still ended up on the losing side.

The result underlined the importance of converting opportunities in the closing stages. Seven missed match points proved decisive in a contest where both pairs traded momentum repeatedly.

Ashith said after the match that mistakes at crucial moments cost them the victory. The Indian pair also acknowledged that they needed to play more safely when holding match points.

Crowd Stands Behind Pair

The New Delhi crowd provided strong support throughout the extended contest. The players said the atmosphere motivated them rather than adding pressure.

That support became particularly important during the long second and third games, when every rally carried greater significance.

Despite the result, the Indians showed composure and fighting spirit against international opposition with significantly more experience at major events.

Late Call Changes Plans

The World Championships opportunity arrived unexpectedly for Ashith and Amrutha. The pair were competing at the Karnataka State Senior Championships in Dharwad when they received a late call informing them that withdrawals had opened a place in the World Championships draw.

They then travelled roughly 1,800 km to New Delhi, leaving the state tournament midway to take up the unexpected chance to compete at the global event.

The pair had already established themselves on the international circuit, including winning the mixed doubles title at the Sri Lanka International Challenge in 2024.

Experience to Build On

Although the defeat ended their World Championships campaign, the performance gave Ashith and Amrutha valuable experience on one of badminton's biggest stages.

Their ability to take the opening game, create seven match points and push the Turkish pair to the final rallies offered evidence of their competitiveness. The challenge now will be to turn that experience into greater composure during decisive points.

The Ashith-Amrutha World Championships debut will be remembered for a painful missed opportunity, but also as a performance that demonstrated their ability to challenge established international opponents when the pressure was at its highest.