Jakarta, June 3 (IANS) India’s world No.1 shuttler Saina Nehwal defeated Thailand’s Nichaon Jindapon in straight sets in the first round while her Indian teammate P.V. Sindhu crashed out of the $800,000 Indonesia Open Superseries Premier, losing to Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Ya Ching here on Wednesday.
Also advancing to the second round are Parupalli Kashyap, who ousted Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand 21-17 21-7 in just 29 minutes, and men’s doubles pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar. The Indian pair moved past Canada’s Adrian Liu and N.G. Derrick 21-17, 22-20 in 35 minutes at the Istora Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
Olympic bronze medallist Saina, who has won here in 2009, 2010 and 2012, pocketed the first round match 21-16, 21-18 in 35 minutes. Although she faced some strong hurdles en route, she lived up to her billing.
At one point in the second set, world No.27 Jindapon was 18-17 ahead but a strong comeback from the Hyderabadi shuttler ensured she clinched four consecutive points and with it the encounter. With this win, the 25-year-old Saina took a 4-0 lead in career meetings against the Thai.
Sindhu, however, lost out to Ching in a gruelling contest that lasted for 49 minutes. The two-time World Championships bronze medallist clinched the first game easily 21-16. But then it was Ching who had the last laugh as she grabbed two consecutive games 21-15, 21-14.
Ching will now face Saina in the next round on Thursday, the winner of which will book a place in the in the women’s singles quarter-finals.
In the men’s singles, world No.12 Kashyap, who set up a second round clash against world No.5 Son Wan Ho, battled hard to win the first game. But the Commonwealth Games champion did not give any chance to Tanongsak to stage a comeback as he sealed the second game, giving away just seven points.
Kashyap, 28, next takes on fifth seed South Korean Son Wan Ho, who has a 3-1 head-to-head record against the India. Son defeated China’s Tian Houwei 21-15, 21-16.
Top seed and world No.1 Chen Long also advanced to the round of 16 with a comfortable 21-19, 21-12 win over Hong Kong’s Wei Han. Reigning world champion Chen will face England’s Rajiv Ouseph in the next round on Thursday.
Later in the day, India’s world No.4 Kidambi Srikanth will face Danish Hans-Kristian Vittin, while the Indian women’s doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa will open their campaign against Chinese Taipei’s Ya Ching Hsu and Yu Po Pai.
