French Open 2022 | Saina Nehwal ousted in first round

Saina Nehwal, who was in complete control, capitalised and easily won the first game. However, it appeared like the Indian had lost steam, and Li seized the chance to tie the game and force a decider. In the third game, both players gave it their best to win, and as a result, the lead and the momentum were constantly changing as Li and Nehwal alternated periods of dominance.

Nehwal appeared to be the favourite to win the match with a 19-17 advantage, but Li won the next four points in a row to deny the Olympic medalist. The game took 57 minutes to complete. She has lost in the first round of a tournament three times in a row, the most recent being the French Open. Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, the seventh seeds in the men's doubles, defeated Christo and Toma Junior Popov 19-21, 21-9, 21-13 to advance to the next round.

Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto of India were eliminated earlier in the day after losing 21-13, 21-16 in consecutive games to Kyohei Yamashita and Naru Shinoya of Japan. The women's doubles tournament also saw the early exit of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand. In a match of razor-thin margins, the Indian team put up a brave battle against Thailand's Rawinda Prajongjai and Jongkolphan Kititharakul, but ultimately fell short by scores of 23-21 and 22-20.