PBL | Mumbai Rockets thrash defending champions Delhi Acers in their opening clash

Jayaram raced to a 7-3 lead in the opening game against world No 2 Jorgensen, who was selected as Trump by Delhi. The Dane, however, upped his tempo to regain the lead 10-9. It was a close battle until 14-all before Jayaram won the deciding point of the first game.

Jayaram jumped to a 4-0 lead in the second game before Jorgensen came out firing with a couple of smash winners. Jayaram was in his elements, though, as he sealed the game at 11-4 to give Mumbai the lead.

Prannoy beat Son Wan Ho 11-9, 11-9 in the second match. Son opened up a 6-4 lead in the first game but Prannoy won six of the next seven points before an unforced error by the Korean gave Prannoy the game.

Prannoy raced to a 4-2 lead in the second before Son pulled things back at 5-4. At 9-9, the Indian star won back to back points to clinch the match.

In mixed doubles, Mumbai’s Nadiezda Zieba teamed up with Lee Yong Dae to take on Delhi’s pair of Ivan Sozonov and Maneesha K. The Mumbai duo won the first game comfortably at 11-5, but Sozonov and Maneesha took the next 11-8. In the decider, Zieba and Lee raced to a 7-4 lead before Delhi levelled at 9-9. Zieba and Lee clinched the last two points to win the match and give Mumbai an unassailable lead in the contest.

In women’s singles, Sung Ji Hyun defeated Tanvi Lad 11-6, 11-8, before Lee and Nipithphon Phuangphuapet teamed up in men’s doubles to defeat the Russian pair of Ivan Sozonov and Vladimir Ivanov 11-9, 11-9 as Delhi ended the night with negative points.

Result:

Ajay Jayaram 15-14, 11-4 Jan Ø. Jørgensen

HS Prannoy 11-9, 11-9 Son Wan Ho

Nadiezda Zieba/ Lee Yong Dae 11-5, 8-11, 11-9 Ivan Sozonov/ Maneesha K

Sung Ji Hyun 11-6, 11-8 Tanvi Lad

Lee Yong Dae/ Nipithphon Phuangphuapet 11-9, 11-9 Ivan Sozonov/ Vladimir Ivanov

In the other clash of the night, Bengaluru Blasters took on Chennai Smashers, and PV Sindhu led his team to a convincing 5-0 win. Parupalli Kashyap defeated Sourabh Verma 11-8, 11-5. PV Sindhu won her trump match against Cheung Ngan Yi 12-10, 11-6 to extend Chennai's lead before Chris and Gabrielle Adcock won their mixed doubles encounter against Yoo Yeon Seong and Ashwini Ponnappa 11-6, 8-11, 15-14. Viktor Axelsen opened the account for Mumbai with a 11-7, 13-11 win over Tommy Sugiarto, but that counted for nothing as Seong and Ko-Sung-Hyun lost their trump match against Chris Adock and Mads Pieler Kolding 7-11, 11-7, 11-13. Chennai Smashers won the match 5-0 to go to the top of the points table.