Indian women shuttlers open campaign with wins; Srikanth, Prannoy and Sameer advance too
India's PV Sindhu continued her good run with a 12-21, 21-15, 21-17 win over Japan’s Minatsu Mitani for the second time in as many weeks to reach the second round of the Japan Open yesterday. Pic/AFP
Newly-crowned Korea Open champion PV Sindhu dished out another splendid performance edging past Japan's Minatsu Mitani for the second time in as many weeks to reach the second round of the women's singles at the Japan Open Super Series here yesterday.
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Returning to action after a week's break, Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth also made positive starts to their campaign, notching up contrasting wins in women's and men's singles.
Sindhu continued her good run as she recovered from a game down to edge past Mitani 12-21, 21-15, 21-17 in the opening round. The World No. 4 sets up a second round face off with World Champion Nozomi Okuhara for the third time in last three tournaments.
Saina took 39 minutes to dispatch Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-17, 21-9.
London Olympics bronze medallist will take on reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin in the next round.
Saina Nehwal
Srikanth sizzles
Srikanth also produced superlative performance to overcome China's Tian Houwei 21-15, 12-21, 21-11 to improve his 1-6 record against the World No. 10. “The conditions were good here. It was a tough match and was a close one.
I always wanted to stay focussed and it worked well for me,” Srikanth said.
HS Prannoy and Sameer Verma also advanced to the second round with wins over their respective opponents in men's singles. While Prannoy got the better off Denmark's Anders Antonsen 21-12, 21-14, Sameer beat Thailand's Khosit Phetpradab 21-12, 21-19 in another match.
Curtains for B Sai Praneeth
B Sai Praneeth went down fighting to Lee Dong Keun of Korea 23-21, 17-21, 14-21.
Men's doubles pair of Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy also crashed out after losing 18-21, 15-21 to eighth seeds Lee Jhe-Huei and Lee Yang of Chinese Taipei, while third seeded Korean Chang Ye Na and Lee So Hee ended Ashwini and N Sikki Reddy's stay with a 21-17, 21-12 win in doubles event.
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