After going down to Canada in their opening match, the India women's badminton team came all guns blazing on Monday to thrash Australia 4-1 in the second group match of the Thomas and Uber Cup here on Monday.
Saina kicked off the proceedings with a straight game win over Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen. She outclassed her opponent 21-14, 21-19 in the 35-minute opening match, and provide India a 1-0 lead.
However, Australia equalised the issue in the women's doubles affair as Gronya Somerville and Renuga Veeran defeated Meghana Jakkampudi and Poorvisha S Ram 21-13, 21-16 within half an hour.
In an another women's singles match, Vaishnavi Reddy Jakka bought back India in the contest as she hammered Jennifer Tam 21-17, 21-13.
Later, another women's pair comprising Sanyogita Ghorpade and Prajakta Sawant extended India's lead by beating Louisa Ma and Ann-Louise Slee 21-19, 21-11 in the second doubles match.
19-year-old Anura Prabhudesai finally sealed the issue for India 4-1 as she got the better of Zecily Fung 21-6, 21-7 in just 18 minutes.
India will now face top seeds from Japan on Wednesday.
--IANS
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