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[caption id="attachment_26467" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Sameer Varma through to the second round of Macau Open. File Pic[/caption] Internet Desk: Indian shuttlers Sameer Verma, Parupalli Kashyap and B Sai Praneeth are through to the second round of the Macau Open Grand Prix Gold on Tuesday. Sameer, who had reached the Hong Kong Open final last week, defeated Czech Republic’s Milan Ludik 21-11, 21-16. In another match Praneeth defeated local boy Lam Hou Him 21-3, 21-8. Kashyap got a walkover against Malaysia’s Guo Zheng Sim as he pulled out from the championship due to injury. HS Prannoy, the other Indian in the line up, was forced to retire due to an injury while trailing 2-6 in the first game against Chinese Taipei’s Chun-Wei Chen. Sameer will take on Indonesia's Muhammad Bayu Pangisthu, while Praneeth and Kashyap will next face China's Sun Feixiang and Chinese Taipei's Chun-Wei Chen respectively. In Sindhu’s absence, compatriot and top seed Saina, who is slowly and steadily getting back her bearing after recovering from a serious knee injury which affected her Olympic campaign three months back, will spearhead India’s campaign in the women’s singles event. After undergoing a knee surgery in August, followed by a rigorous rehabilitation and training under the watchful eyes of her coach Vimal Kumar, Saina made a comeback at China Open but lost in the opening round. She competed at the Hong Kong Open before losing closely in the quarterfinals. The former World No 1 Indian, who will take on Indonesia’s Hanna Ramadini in the opening round on Monday, will be eager to add this title to her name to boost her confidence ahead of the new season.