Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu battled her way into the second round of the Indonesia Open with a straight-game win, while former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth suffered an opening-round exit here on Tuesday.
Sindhu was made to work hard by Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan before prevailing 25-23, 21-16 in a 51-minute women’s singles round of 32 contest of the Super 1000 badminton tournament.
The former world champion displayed her trademark attacking game to edge a closely fought opening game before carrying the momentum into the second to complete a straight-game win.
The unseeded Indian is now likely to face reigning Olympic champion and world No. 1 An Se-young, who she had lost to in the quarterfinals last week in Singapore last week, in the second round. Sindhu has a dismal 0-9 head to head record against An.
However, it was a disappointing day for Srikanth, who bowed out after a 19-21, 15-21 defeat to Japan’s Yushi Tanaka in the men’s singles opening round.
Malvika Bansod too made a first round exit. She was outclassed by seventh seed Pornpawee Chochuwong. The Thai shuttler dominated throughout to register a 21-12, 21-10 victory.
The men’s doubles pair Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun progressed to the second round with a convincing 21-18, 21-10 win over the higher-ranked Malaysian combination of Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong.
Later in the day, the women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, Lakshya Sen and the mixed doubles combine of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto will be seen in action.
Sindhu advances to 2nd round, Srikanth, Malvika exit Indonesia Open
