Sindhu falls hard again in Round 1, Satwik sizzles

Fuzhou (China), November 5

World Champion PV Sindhu suffered a shock defeat to lower-ranked Pai Yu Po of the Chinese Taipei in the opening round to be ousted but India’s doubles campaign was off to a good start in the $700,000 China Open here today.

World No.6 Sindhu, who made early exits in China, South Korea and Denmark, lost 13-21 21-18 19-21 to world No. 42 Pai in a 74-minute women’s singles match here.

However, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy lifted the gloom in the Indian camp with twin victories in the men’s and mixed doubles categories.

Thailand Open champions Satwik and Chirag Shetty, who had reached the French Open finals last month, defeated the American pair of Phillip Chew and Ryan Chew 21-9 21-15 to set up a second-round meeting with sixth seeds Japanese Hiroyuki Endo and Yuta Watanabe.

Earlier, Satwik and Ashwini Ponnappa, ranked 30th, defeated Canada’s Joshua Hurlburt-Yu and Josephine Wu 21-19 21-19 to make a positive start in the mixed doubles competition. They will face South Korean pair of Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yujung next.

The women’s doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy was blown away 9-21 8-21 by world No.10 Chinese pair of Li Wen Mei and Zheng Yu in 30 minutes.

In the men’s singles, HS Prannoy faltered in the opening round, losing 17-21 18-21 to Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke.

In the women’s singles, Sindhu came into the match with a 3-0 head-to-head record against Pai but it was the 28-year-old Taiwanese, who took the initiative early, opening up a 3-0 lead in the opening game. Though Sindhu made it 4-4, Pai was 8-4 ahead before making it 11-5 at the break. The Taiwanese didn’t take her foot off the pedal and moved to 12-8 before reeling off eight straight points to zoom to 20-8. Sindhu saved five game points before Pai earned the bragging rights after sealing the opening game. 

In the second game, Sindhu dished out a better performance, opening up a 7-4 lead and then maintaining it at the interval. The Indian kept moving ahead and roared back into the contest, despite a stiff challenge from Pai who captialised on it and sealed the issue in the end. — PTI

China Open results

• Women’s singles: Pai Yu Po bt PV Sindhu 13-21 21-18 19-21
• Men’s singles: Rasmus Gemke bt HS Prannoy 17-21 18-21
• Men’s doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty bt Phillip Chew and Ryan Chew  21-9 21-15 
• Mixed doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa bt Joshua Hurlburt-Yu and Josephine Wu 21-19 21-19
• Women’s doubles: Li Wen Mei and Zheng Yu bt Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy 9-21 8-21