Japan Open: Saina Nehwal sails, PV Sindhu sinks

Tokyo: It was a mixed day for India at the Japan Open as four shuttlers, including Saina Nehwal, reached the second round while others bowed out of the singles events of the Superseries badminton tournament here on Wednesday. 

 

World No.1 Saina eked out a close 21-14, 22-20 win over Thailand’s Busanan Ongbumrungpan in women’s singles and the second seed will next take on Japan’s Minatsu Mitani, who had stunned P.V. Sindhu 21-13, 17-21, 21-11 in another match. 

 

Saina holds a 5-2 record against the Japanese. Meanwhile, Common-wealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap, who turned 29 on Tuesday, was handed a win by Japan’s Takuma Ueda when he retired midway due to a back injury at 3-2 in the opening game.

 

Kashyap will next take on compatriot Kidambi Srikanth, seeded third, who beat Ireland’s Scott Evans 21-18, 21-15 in another men’s singles match. 

The duo had meet at Syed Modi International Grand Prix Gold event earlier this year, where Kashyap came out on top.

 

Indonesia Masters winner H.S. Prannoy also notched up a thrilling 23-21, 22-20 win over Wong Wing Ki Vincent of Hong Kong in 49 minutes. The World No.12 will next square-up against Korea’s Lee Dong Keun.

 

However, it turned out to be a disappointing day for other Indians, the women’s doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa. Glasgow Commonwealth Games silver medallists Jwala and Ashwini played out of their skins before going down 20-22, 21-18, 13-21 to eighth seeds Zhao Yunlei and Zhong Qianxin of China in a 54-minute match.