Japan Open | PV Sindhu advances, Kidambi Srikanth ousted in first round
PV Sindhu extended her fine form in the Japan Open with an easy win over China’s Hue Yan, while Kidambi Srikanth lost to compatriot HS Prannoy in his very first match of the campaign. While A Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy couldn’t advance, Ponappa and S Reddy did in mixed doubles.
The day started on a sour note for India as the mixed doubles duo of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy went down 21-11, 21-14 to Chinese top pair Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong. It called for an immediate improvement but the next Indian on the card was Kidmabi Srikanth, whose form hasn’t improved anytime in the recent past.
Srikanth was up against compatriot HS Prannoy but after he was ousted by Hong Kong’s KA Long Angus in the Indonesia Open, this was a steep challenge for the four-time Superseries winner. And quite expectantly, the top Indian men shuttler went down 13-21, 21-11, 22-20 in the very first match of the tournament. Prannoy would next face Kento Tsuneyama.
As if that wasn’t enough, Sameer Verma soon followed suit losing 17-21, 12-21 to Denmark's Anders Antonsen. India’s first win of the day came in the mixed doubles event, where Ashiwni Ponnappa and Swastiksairaj Rankireddy won 21-16, 21-17 against the English duo of Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge. However, after winning the mixed doubles match, Ponnappa lost the women’s doubles match 16-21, 14-21 alongside N Sikki Reddy against South Korea's Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong 16-21, 14-21.
Sindhu’s was the last match of the day and everyone was expecting India to evade another major upset, and Sindhu did exactly that, winning the match 21-9, 21-17 against Han Yue. She will next face Japan’s Aya Ohori.
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