Indonesia SS Premier: Good day for Indians

India’s top shuttlers made a positive start to their campaign in the Indonesia Super Series Premier on Wednesday with only the women’s doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa biting the dust in the opening round.

Jwala and Ashwini went down against second seed Qing Tian and Yunlei Zhao of China 13-21, 17-21 despite playing their hearts out. However, there was no such problem for the other Olympic hopefuls with Saina Nehwal and P Kashyap advancing after hard fought victories while Jwala and Diju got the better of the Korean combination of Yeon Seong Yoo and Ye Na Jang 14-21, 21-11, 21-16.

Results (first round)

Men’s singles

Ajay Jayaram bt Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) 21-16, 21-14

P Kashyap bt Kevin Cordon (Guatemala) 21-19, 19-21, 21-16

RMV Guru Sai Dutt lost to 5-Hyun Il Lee (Korea) 13-21, 21-11, 20-22

Women’s singles

5-Saina Nehwal bt Sayaka Sato (Japan) 21-12, 14-21, 21-17

PV Sindhu bt Maria Febe Kusumastuti (Indonesia) 13-21, 21-18, 21-19

Men doubles

K Tarun/Arun Vishnu lost to 3-Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen (Denmark) 14-21, 13-21

Women’s doubles

Pradnya Gadre/Prajakta Sawant lost to Melvira Oklamona/Khaeriah Rosmini 23-21, 19-21, 19-21

Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponnappa lost to 2-Qing Tian/Yunlei Zhao (China) 13-21, 17-21

Mixed doubles

V Diju/Jwala Gutta bt Yeon Seong Yoo/Ye Na Jang 14-21, 21-11, 21-16

K Tarun/Ashwini Ponnappa lost to Riky Widianto/Puspita Richi Dili 16-21, 10-21