Hong Kong Open Round up | Saina Nehwal exacts revenge to cap good day for India

11/23/2016

Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu booked their places in the second round of the Hong Kong Open with contrasting wins over their respective opponents today. The day turned out to be a good one for India with HS Prannoy, Sameer Verma and Ajay Jayaram also qualifying for the second round of the Superseries.

Sania Nehwal defeated Porntip Buranaprasertsuk in the first round today just a week after losing to the Thai player in the China Open. Saina lost the first game 12-21 after Porntip pulled ahead from 6-6 onwards.

After losing the first game by a margin of nine points, Indian fans would have been worried of a replay of the defeat Porntip affected on Sania a week ago, when she knocked out the Indian in the first round of the China Open. However, Saina won the second game with a 21-19 scoreline after the two were, at one point, tied at 19-19. The Indian then led the third game from start to finish eventually closing it out 21-17 to move into the second round.

China Open champion PV Sindhu made it through to the next round with ease taking just over half an hour in her match against Yulia Yosephin Susanto. The Indonesian took a 2-1 lead early on but that was the closest she was able to come to the Indian. Sindhu closed out the first game with the first game-point opportunity as the scoreboard read 21-13.

The second game was a closer affair and it looked like Susanto might be able to take Sindhu to a decider as the Indonesian took a 16-14 lead. But Sindhu took the next seven points in a row to close out the match at 21-16.

In the men’s draw, HS Prannoy and Sameer Verma easily made it to the second round after picking up straight-game wins over Bin Qiao (China) and Takuma Ueda (Japan). The wins signify a hattrick of wins for the duo against their respective opponents.

Ajay Jayaram was made to work hard for his win by 20-year-old Anthony Ginting in the first round. Jayaram won the first game with ease by a score of 21-15 and took his foot off the pedal in the second game. The turned out to be a mistake as Ginting took the second game 21-13. In the final game, Jayaram had a scare at one point with Ginting closing the gap to 16-15, but the Indian eventually won the game 21-16 and the match.

However, Sai Praneeth could not make it a perfect day for India - his tournament was ended by Jan Jorgensen in straight games 21-18, 21-18.