Korea Open champion P.V. Sindhu dished out another splendid performance while Saina Nehwal and K. Srikanth, returning to action after a week’s break, made positive starts to their campaign at the Japan Open Super Series, advancing to the second round with contrasting wins here on Wednesday.
Sindhu edged past Japan’s Minatsu Mitani for the second time in as many weeks. Fresh from a sensational outing in Korea, Olympic silver medallist Sindhu recovered from a game down to edge past Mitani 12-21, 21-15, 21-17 in the opening round. The Indian had defeated Mitani in three games in the quarterfinals of the Korea Open.
The 22-year-old World No. 4 set up a second-round face off with World champion Nozomi Okuhara for the third time in the last three tournaments.
In another match, Saina, who had skipped the Korea Open due to a thigh strain, took 39 minutes to dispatch Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-17, 21-9 and will take on reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin in the next round. Saina has a 4-3 record against the Spaniard, having lost thrice in the last four meetings.
Srikanth, who had won in Indonesia and Australia, dished out a 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.
US Open GP Gold champion H.S. Prannoy and Syed Modi GP winner Sameer Verma also advanced with straight-game victories. While Prannoy got the better off Denmark’s Anders Antonsen 21-12, 21-14, Sameer took 40 minutes to subdue Thailand’s Khosit Phetpradab 21-12, 21-19.
Sameer’s elder brother, Sourabh, however, bowed out after his fight against seventh seed and two-time Olympic gold medallist Lin Dan of China ended with a 11-21, 21-15, 21-13 loss.
Singapore Open champion B. Sai Praneeth also found the going tough as he went down fighting to Lee Dong Keun of Korea 21-23, 21-17, 21-14 in a thrilling contest.
Fast-rising doubles player Satwiksairaj Rankireddy advanced to the mixed doubles second round along with experienced Ashwini Ponnappa after defeating Thailand’s Tinn Isriyanet and Pacharapun Chochuwong 21-17, 21-13.
However, Satwik and his men’s doubles partner Chirag Shetty couldn’t get across third seeds Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia, going down 27-25, 21-15 in another pulsating contest.
The experienced men’s doubles pair of Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy also crashed out after losing 21-18, 21-15 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 women’s doubles.
The results:
Men: K. Srikanth bt Tian Houwei (Chn) 21-15, 12-21, 21-11; H.S. Prannoy bt Anders Antonsen (Den) 21-12, 21-14; Sameer Verma bt Khosit Phetpradab (Tha) 21-12, 21-19; Lin Dan (Chn) bt Sourabh Verma 11-21, 21-15, 21-13; Lee Dong Keun (Kor) bt B. Sai Praneeth 21-23, 21-17, 21-14. Doubles: Marcus Fernaldi Gideon & Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Ina) bt Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty 27-25, 21-15; Lee Jhe-Huei & Lee Yang (Tpe) bt Manu Attri & B. Sumeeth Reddy 21-18, 21-15.
Women: Saina Nehwal bt Pornpawee Chochuwong (Tha) 21-17, 21-9; P.V. Sindhu bt Minatsu Mitani (Jpn) 12-21, 21-15, 21-17. Doubles: Chang Ye Na & Lee So Hee (Kor) bt Ashwini Ponnappa & N. Sikki Reddy 21-17, 21-12.
Mixed doubles: R. Satwiksairaj & Ashwini bt Tinn Isriyanet & Pacharapun Chochuwong (Tha) 21-17, 21-13.