Former champions PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth progressed to the second round, while HS Prannoy also made a strong start in the India Open here on Wednesday.
HS Prannoy
New Delhi:
Fifth seed Sameer Verma beat Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke 21-18, 21-12, while Riya Mookerjee shocked Thailand’s Phittayaporn Chaiwan 21-17, 21-15 to set up a meeting with Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt, who knocked out Rita Thaker. B Sai Praneeth recovered from a first game reversal to outwit compatriot Kartikey Gulshan Kumar 22-24, 21-13, 21-8 to enter the second round.
Ratchanok Intanon and Li Xuerui made good starts to their respective campaigns. The fourth-seeded Intanon comfortably beat India’s Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka 21-9, 21-6. London Olympic gold medallist Xuerui overcame a tough opponent in Nitchaon Jindapol, with a 21-17, 21-11 scoreline.
Third seed He Bingjiao needed 30 minutes to dismiss India’s Prashi Joshi 21-12, 21-15 and was joined by her compatriot Chen Xiaoxin, following her 21-15, 21-11 victory over Yulia Yosephin Susanto. In doubles, Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy blew away younger countrymen Ravi and Lakshay Saroha 21-14, 21-7.
Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Shivam Sharma, who qualified for the main draw, made short work of Senthil Vel Govindarasu and Vembarasan Venkatachalam 21-13, 21-13. In women’s doubles, the pairs of Pooja Dandu-Sanjana Santosh and Venkata Ramya Tulasi Bailupudi-Shivani Santosh Singh made it through to Round 2.
Results: PV Sindhu (IND) bt Mugdha Agrey (IND) 21-8, 21-13; Kidambi Srikanth (IND) bt Wong Wing Ki Vincent (HK) 21-16, 18-21, 21-19; HS Prannoy (IND) bt Kantaphon Wangcharoen (THA) 14-21, 21-18, 21-14; Sameer Verma (IND) bt Rasmus Gemke (DEN) 21-18, 21-12.
Sindhu brushed aside fellow Indian Mugdha Agrey 21-8, 21-13 in women’s singles. 2015 winner Srikanth survived a scare to defeat Hong Kong’s Wong Wing Ki Vincent with a scoreline of 21-16, 18-21, 21-19 in men’s singles. Prannoy notched up a come-from-behind 14-21, 21-18, 21-14 win over Thailand’s eighth seed Kantaphon Wangcharoen.
Fifth seed Sameer Verma beat Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke 21-18, 21-12, while Riya Mookerjee shocked Thailand’s Phittayaporn Chaiwan 21-17, 21-15 to set up a meeting with Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt, who knocked out Rita Thaker. B Sai Praneeth recovered from a first game reversal to outwit compatriot Kartikey Gulshan Kumar 22-24, 21-13, 21-8 to enter the second round.
Ratchanok Intanon and Li Xuerui made good starts to their respective campaigns. The fourth-seeded Intanon comfortably beat India’s Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka 21-9, 21-6. London Olympic gold medallist Xuerui overcame a tough opponent in Nitchaon Jindapol, with a 21-17, 21-11 scoreline.
Third seed He Bingjiao needed 30 minutes to dismiss India’s Prashi Joshi 21-12, 21-15 and was joined by her compatriot Chen Xiaoxin, following her 21-15, 21-11 victory over Yulia Yosephin Susanto. In doubles, Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy blew away younger countrymen Ravi and Lakshay Saroha 21-14, 21-7.
Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Shivam Sharma, who qualified for the main draw, made short work of Senthil Vel Govindarasu and Vembarasan Venkatachalam 21-13, 21-13. In women’s doubles, the pairs of Pooja Dandu-Sanjana Santosh and Venkata Ramya Tulasi Bailupudi-Shivani Santosh Singh made it through to Round 2.
Results: PV Sindhu (IND) bt Mugdha Agrey (IND) 21-8, 21-13; Kidambi Srikanth (IND) bt Wong Wing Ki Vincent (HK) 21-16, 18-21, 21-19; HS Prannoy (IND) bt Kantaphon Wangcharoen (THA) 14-21, 21-18, 21-14; Sameer Verma (IND) bt Rasmus Gemke (DEN) 21-18, 21-12.