Paris: Women’s singles title-contender won both her first and second round matches to advance to the quarterfinals of the French Open Super Series badminton tournament even as compatriot Saina Nehwal suffered her second successive loss to Japanese Akane Yamaguchi to bow out of the event, here Thursday.
Sindhu in her first round match played late Wednesday night had defeated Spain’s Beatriz Corrales 21-19, 21-18. In the second round encounter Thursday, she defeated Sayaka Takahashi of Japan 21-13, 21-14 in just 29 minutes dominating proceedings right from the start. Much was expected of Saina in her ‘grudge match’ against Yamaguchi. However, the World Championships bronze medallist lost the first game tamely and even though she put up a valiant fight in the second, Saina lost 21-9, 23-21. Saina had a game point at 20-19 in the second game, but failed to utilise it.
Meanwhile in men’s singles, Kidambi Srikanth crossed the first round hurdle Wednesday when his German opponent Fiban Roth at 0-3 in the first game due to a hamstring injury. In the second round match played Thursday he defeated Hong Kong’s Wong Wing Ki Vincent 21-19, 21-17. In the second game with the scores tied at 17-all, the Indian shuttler reeled of four points in a row to emerge easy winner.
The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty too made a positive start as they disposed of France’s Bastian Kersaudy and Julien Maio 21-12, 21-14 in 30 minutes. However, in women’s doubles, Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy lost 16-21, 14-21 to top seeds, Japanese Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi.
Press trust of India
