German Open 2022 | Malvika Bansod ousted, little known doubles teams progress to second round
Shuttler Malvika Bansod lost in the first round of the German Open 2022 women's singles event on Wednesday against world No. 12 Michelle Li of Canada. The Indian, who had been promoted from reserves, was beaten 21-18, 20-22, 9-21 by the previous Commonwealth Games women's singles champion.
Bansod got off to a solid start and won the first game. However, she was unable to match Michelle Li's effort as the match went, and she was defeated in 58 minutes.
Bansod has had a strong start to the year. She raced into the final of the Syed Modi International after defeating London Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal at the India Open but fell to PV Sindhu to take silver. On the other hand, Ishaan Bhatnagar-Sai Pratheek and Krishna Prasad Garaga-Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala, in the men's doubles, advanced to the second round with victories on Wednesday.
Ishaan Bhatnagar and Sai Pratheek beat Callum Hemming and Steven Stallwood of England 21-15, 21-16, while Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala beat Hiroki Okamura and Masayuki Onodera of Japan 24-22, 21-11.
In the opening round of the men's singles, Commonwealth Games gold medalist Parupalli Kashyap, who had been out with injury since November, fell to unseeded Thai shuttler Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-13, 21-13.
In the women's doubles, Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy were eliminated in the first round after losing 21-13, 21-13 against Japan's Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida.
PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Kidambi Srikanth, Lakshya Sen, and HS Prannoy advanced to the second round after winning their individual first-round matches earlier on Tuesday.