China Open 2019: PV Sindhu, Sai Praneeth moves into 2nd round, Saina Nehwal crash out
It was a mixed day for the Indian contingent as PV Sindhu
and Sai Praneeth moved into the 2nd round Super 1000 China Open
played at Changzhou, China on Tuesday
PV Sindhu defeated former World number 1 Li Xuerui in two
straights by 21-18, 21-12. It was a great start by the World Championship,
Sindhu who took a 6-1 lead. From 3-8 down, the Chinese took 5 points in
succession to level the scores at 8-8. The Indian played with aggression and
took an 11-9 lead at the interval. After the interval, the Indian continued her
domination over Li and had 20-14 lead. Li took 4 points in succession to reduce the gap, but Sindhu held her nerves to win the 1st set by 21-18.
The second game saw a better start from Li Xuerui taking an
early 6-2 lead. Sindhu showed her aggression and leveled the scores at 6-6.
The Indian continued to play attacking strokes and put her opponent under
immense pressure. At the interval, Sindhu led 11-8. After the interval, there
was no stopping the World Championship winning the 2nd game easily
at 21-12 to move into the 2nd round. She will take on Pornpnee Chochuwong
of Thailand.
Saina Nehwal was crashed out in the 1st round
losing to Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan in two straight sets by 10-21,
17-21 to be knocked. The Thai player dominated Saina in the 1st game
and took an 11-6 lead at the interval. Saina was not at her best and lost the
1st game easily at 10-21.
In the 2nd game, Saina showed some fighting
spirit by playing aggressive badminton and came back when the Thai player was going
ahead. At the interval, Saina had a slender 11-10 lead. After the interval,
Busan played with aggression and never allowed the Indian to play her natural
game. It was one-way traffic as Saina lost the 2nd game by 17-21.
In the men’s singles, Sai Praneeth defeated S Avihingsanon of
Thailand in three sets by 21-19, 21-23, 21-14 to move into the 2nd
round. It was a very close fought match right from word go. Both players fought
for each point in the 1st game before Sai held his nerves to win 1st
set at 21-19. The second set was also a close-fought affair but this time the
Thai player held his nerves to win 2nd set.
The third set was a dominating display by Sai who looked
aggressive in his stroke play and won the match by 21-14. He will face Lu Gz of
China in the 2nd round.
Parupali Kashyap defeated Brice Leverdez of France in 2
straight sets by 21-12, 21-15 to move into the 2nd round. It was a
dominating display by Kashyap who dominated Brice and won it easily. He will
take on Anthony Gingting of Indonesia.
The mixed doubles pair of Pranav Chopra and Sikki Reddy lost
to M LamsfuB and I Herttrich of Germany in two straight sets by 12-21, 21-23.
The men’s doubles pair of Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy lost
to Mohammad Setiwan and Ahsan in two straight games by 15-21, 15-21.
Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy won their respective match as their opponent retired hurt in the 2nd game. The Indian pair had won the 1st set easily.
Satwiksairaj RankiReddy had a great day 1 winning both his
matches in men’s doubles and mixed doubles. The 2019 Thailand Men’s doubles
winners RankiReddy and Chirag Shetty defeated J Ho-shue and N Yakura of Canada
in two straight sets by 21-7, 21-18.
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| PV Sindhu moves into the 2nd round |
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