Saina Nehwal sailed into the second round of Malaysia Open after registering a straight set victory over Singapore’s Gu Juan in the women’s singles event on Wednesday.
However, India’s budding star P.V. Sindhu went down fighting to higher-ranked Tine Baun of Denmark in her first round match.
Saina disposed off Juan’s challenge 21-12, 21-15 in a match that lasted 29 minutes at the Putra Stadium.
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In the first game, the two matched each other to be tied at six points before Saina displayed some aggressive net play to open up a three-point lead to 9-6.
Thereafter she just sailed ahead to clinch the game comfortably.
Saina will next take on Hong Kong’s Pui Yin YIP in the second round.
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Meanwhile, Sindhu fought hard before going down to Baun in a three-set encounter, lasting 49 minutes.
Sindhu started off well as she surged ahead with an 8-5 lead. In fact, she managed to maintain a slight edge over her opponent to be placed at 10-8. But the Danish girl won four straight points to make it 12-10.
Then there was no looking back for Baun, who easily won the opening game.
A spirited Sindhu though showed a lot of character to fight her way back in the match by clinching the next game, 21-18 despite her rival having an upper hand till 18th point.
But the 17-year-old failed to get past the world number six in the deciding the game, losing it 17-21.
Gurusaidutt through
In the men’s singles, India’s Gurusaidutt defeated compatriot Sourabh Varma 21-11, 21-14 to move into the second round.
In other matches, Indian pair of Pradnya Gadre and Ashwini Ponnappa beat Singapore’s Yu Yan Vanessa Neo and Dellis Yuliana 22-20, 16-21, 15-21 in the women’s doubles.
But in the men’s doubles India’s challenge ended as the duo of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar lost to Indonesian pair of Angga Pratama and Ryan Agung Saputra 21-12, 21-16.
England’s Heather Olver and Kate Robertshaw moved to the next round after India’s Aparna Balan and Siki Reddy retired in the second set. They had won the first set 21-11 and were 3-4 behind in the second when they withdrew from the match.
The results (first round): Men: Gurusaidutt bt Sourabh Varma 21-11, 21-14; Daren Liew bt Ajay Jayaram 21-15, 21-11; P. Kashyap bt Takuma Ueda 21-14, 16-21, 21-5.
Doubles: Pranaav Jerry Chopra & Akshay Dewalkar lost to Angga Pratama & Ryan Agung Saputra 21-12, 21-16.
Women: Saina Nehwal bt Gu Juan 21-12, 21-15; Tine Baun bt P.V. Sindhu 21-16, 18-21, 21-17.
Doubles: Pradnya Gadre & Ashwini Ponnappa bt Yu Yan Vanessa Neo & Dellis Yuliana 20-22, 21-16, 21-15; Heather Olver & Kate Robertshaw bt Aparna Balan & Siki Reddy 11-21, 4-3 (retd.).