- PV Sindhu stormed into the second round with a comfortable win over Mugdha Agrey.
- Kidambi Srikanth worked hard during his first-round win over Wong Wing Ki Vincent.
- In doubles, sixth seeds Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy blew away younger countrymen Ravi and Lakshay Saroha 21-14, 21-7.
Top India shuttler P.V. Sindhu started her Indian Open 2019 campaign with a bang as she thrashed compatriot Mugdha Agrey. Sindhu took just 23 minutes to outclass Mugdha 21-8, 21-13 in a women’s singles match.
2017 #YonexIndiaOpen winner, @Pvsindhu1 had an easy win 21-8; 21-13 over #MughdhaAgrey. She had special words for the Crowd who were present to cheer the Champ! Hear ?what she had to say right after the win. ???#IndiaontheRise #YonexSunriseIndiaOpen2019 #badminton pic.twitter.com/blfuKJDx9j
— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) March 27, 2019
HS Prannoy, after losing the first game, staged a fine rally to upset eighth seed and World No. 17 Kantaphon Wangcharoen 14-21, 21-18, 21-14 in 68 minutes. With this, he entered the second round of the Yonex-Sunrise India Open Badminton here on Wednesday.
?Check out the beast @PRANNOYHSPRI roaring at the #YonexSunriseIndiaOpen2019. #IndiaontheRise #badminton pic.twitter.com/4SzkYPeoKc
— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) March 27, 2019
Riya Mookherjee and Kidambi eases into the 2nd round
World No. 92 Riya Mookerjee recorded her first win over Phittayaporn Chaiwan in three meetings. Continuing her good form from last week’s Swiss Open, where she had made it to the quarters, the 20-year-old accounted for the 86th ranked Thai 21-17, 21-15.
.#YonexSunriseIndiaOpen2019?#RiyaMookherjee slays superior ranked ??’s Phittayaporn C in straight games of 21-17, 21-15.
Hear the youngster speak on the win, her life off the court and how she’s looking forward ?#IndiaontheRise #badminton pic.twitter.com/sVmqqbQK7O— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) March 27, 2019
Having learned from her previous experience of playing Chaiwan, the youngster was ready this time for the Thai’s drop shots.
That’s close! ??@srikidambi and #WongWingKiVincent enjoy an intense dual at the net during their R1 #YonexSunriseIndiaOpen2019 clash. Watch till the end to find out who wins!#IndiaontheRise #badminton pic.twitter.com/PikzX1xA8T
— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) March 27, 2019
Kidambi Srikanth also registered his win against Wong Wing Ki Vincent of Hong Kong by 21-16, 18-21,21-19. The Indian shuttler made a strong comeback in the final moments when the match was slipping away from his side.
YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2019
MS – Round of 32
14 22 21 ??Subhankar DEY?
21 20 11 ??Tommy SUGIARTO? in 78 minutes
https://t.co/Xye4DDV32X— BWFScore (@BWFScore) March 27, 2019
Meanwhile, Shubhankar Dey stunned Tommy Sugiarto in a tough-fought match.
Prannoy back in form
This was Prannoy’s third consecutive three-game duel with Kantaphon and was a proof that the former national champion is very much on his way back after his recent health troubles.
The Keralite had been suffering from gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in the last few months, which he is currently recovering from.
“I have been consulting doctors in the United States,” said Prannoy after the match. “I can say it has helped me stand in the court right now. Probably 80% of the things have fallen in place. There are areas I have to focus on like the diet plan that has been given to me. I should be much better comparatively in the next 4-5 months,” he said.
Verma wins too
Smashing Sameer! ??
India’s @sameerv2210 gets off to a blinding start, looked in unstoppable form to outclass ??’s #RasmusGemke in straight games of 21-18 21-12 to book his R2 berth at the #YonexSunriseIndiaOpen2019. #IndiaontheRise #badminton pic.twitter.com/ozXmhaS4Cb
— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) March 27, 2019
World No. 15 Sameer Verma overcame an early resistance from the 29th ranked Rasmus Gemke of Denmark before recording a 21-18, 21-12 win. The fifth seed trailed 16-18 from where he rediscovered his rhythm and ran away with the match in 49 minutes.
Also Read: Evolution of Indian Badminton
Praneeth wins, Gurusaidutt loses
Swiss Open runner-up Sai Praneeth stormed back from a game down to edge Kartikey Gulshan Kumar 22-24, 21-13, 21-8 in 59 minutes.
However, former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist RMV Gurusaidutt suffered an 18-21, 11-21 defeat to Thailand’s World No. 36 Sitthikom Thammasin. Kartik Jindal’s brave run came to an end at the hands of the seventh seed Khosit Phetpradab 17-21, 8-21.
Former champions Ratchanok Intanon and Li Xuerui made a good start to their respective campaigns. The fourth-seeded Intanon, who is eyeing a third title at this event, comfortably beat India’s Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka 21-9, 21-6.
London Olympic gold medallist Xuerui, the winner of this tournament in 2012, overcame a tough opponent in Nitchaon Jindapol with a 21-17, 21-11 scoreline.
Third seed He Bingjiao needed 30 minutes to dismiss Prashi Joshi 21-12, 21-15 and was joined by her compatriot Chen Xiaoxin following her 21-15, 21-11 victory over Yulia Yosephin Susanto.
Doubles magic
The experienced MD duo of @AtriManu @buss_reddy kickstart their #YonexSunriseIndiaOpen2019 campaign with a bang ?; looked too strong for the young ??duo of Ravi and Lakshay, cruising to a comfortable 21-14;21-7 win. #IndiaontheRise #badminton pic.twitter.com/3eg1G3LuPc
— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) March 27, 2019
In doubles, sixth seeds Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy blew away younger countrymen Ravi and Lakshay Saroha 21-14, 21-7. Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Shivam Sharma, who qualified for the main draw, made short work of Senthil Vel Govindarasu and Vembarasan Venkatachalam 21-13, 21-13.
In women’s doubles, the pairs of Pooja Dandu-Sanjana Santosh and Venkata Ramya Tulasi Bailupudi-Shivani Santosh Singh made it through Round 2.
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