PV Sindhu, Kashyap Enter 2nd Round, Saina Nehwal Loses at Malaysia Open
Indian badminton player Parupalli Kashyap (file pic).
PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal suffered contrasting fortunes at the Malaysia Open Super 750 tournament on Wednesday. Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Sindhu progressed into the second round while Nehwal, making a comeback, bowed out in the opening round.
Sindhu, a former world champion, outwitted Thailand’s World No. 10 Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-13, 21-17. London Olympics bronze medallist Nehwal went down fighting against American Iris Wang, ranked 33rd in the world, 11-21, 17-21 in 37 minutes.
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Sindhu, seeded seventh, set up a clash with Phittayaporn Chaiwan, a 21-year-old from Thailand. Chaiwan, a former junior world No.1 and a part of the bronze medal-winning team at the Uber Cup in Bangkok, will be a formidable test for the Indian.
Meanwhile, Parupalli Kashyap got the better of South Korea's Heo Kwang Hee 21-12, 21-17 in the first round of men's singles.
B Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa, who will be leading India’s charge at the Commonwealth Games later this year, also failed in the first round. They couldn’t get past World No. 21 pairing of Robin Tabeling and Selena Piek of the Netherlands.The Indian duo lost 15-21, 21-19, 17-21 after a 52-minute battle.
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In the women's doubles, Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam went down to two-time world champions Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara of Japan 11-21, 14-21.
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