PV Sindhu won her first singles match but India fell to a 3-2 defeat to Malaysia in the opening encounter of their 2019 Sudirman Cup campaign. While Sindhu beat her opponent Goh Jin Wei 21-12, 21-8, India lost their men's singles and the men's and women's doubles matches.
Sindhu, ranked fifth in the world, strolled to an expected win over 25th ranked Goh Jin Wei. India's chances brightened when Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Ashwini Ponnappa won their mixed doubles match against Goh Soon Huat-Lai Shevon Jemie 16-21, 21-17, 24-22.
However that hope sank when Sameer Verma, who was chosen ahead of Kidambi Srikanth for the men's singles match, was defeated 21-13, 21-15 by Lee Zii Jia. Malaysia's quality in doubles then came to the fore as Aaron Chia-Teo Ee Yi beat Manu Attri-B. Sumeeth Reddy 21-11, 21-19 in the men's match and Ashwini Ponnappa-N Sikki Reddy lost 21-11, 21-19 to Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean.
--IANS
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