Japan Open SS: Major blow for India as ace shuttlers bows out

WhatsApp Image 2017-09-21 at 5.30.29 PM

Internet Desk: India’s top two women shuttlers PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal are out of the Japan Open Super Series after losing their respective second round matches in the tournament.

Rio Olympic silver medalist PV Sindu faced local favourite and world champion Nozomi Okuhara whom she beat in the final of Korea Open Super Series last week. But she couldn’t continued her last week’s form as the star Indian committed so many errors to go down  18-21 8-21 in an one sided 47 minute match.

The match lacked the long intense rallies, which were the hallmark of their last two contests, — the 110-minute World Championship final and last week’s 83-minute Korea Open summit clash, which Sindhu had won.

Sindhu squandered a lead of 11-9 and 18-16 in the opening game and looked completely out of sorts in the second game to bow out early.

On the other hand Saina too lost her match in round 2 against Olympic Champion Carolina Marin in straight games 16-21, 13-21. With this India’s chances of a medal in Women’s singles category in the tournament have been finished.

However, World No.8 Srikanth, who clinched back-to-back titles in Indonesia and Australia this year, demolished Hong Kong’s Hu Yun 21-12 21-11 within half an hour to make it to the final eight.

The Indian will now face the recently-crowned world champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark.

Currently locked 2-2 in the head-to-head record, Srikanth had initial success against Viktor but the Dane had an upper hand in the last two meetings, winning in straight games.

US Open Champion H S Prannoy managed to upstage Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Jen Hao 21-16 23-21. He will now play against second seed Chinese Shi Yuqi.

World No. 2 Shi, who had reached the finals of All England Championship early this year, staved off a challenge from Syed Modi International winner Sameer Verma 10-21 21-17 21-15 in another match.

Among others, the mixed doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy played their heart out before losing 27-29 21-16 12-21 to Indonesian fourth seeds Praveen Jordan and Debby Susanto in a match that lasted an hour and six minutes.