Satwik-Ponnappa in main draw of Denmark Open, Kashyap out

Odense: The fast-rising mixed doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa entered the main draw but Commonwealth Games champion P Kashyap bowed out at the Denmark Super Series Premier on Tuesday.

On a day when two-time Olympic champion and five-time world champion Lin Dan pulled out of the men's singles competition, Satwik and Ponnappa managed to earn two crucial wins to join Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy in the main draw of mixed doubles.

The Indian duo first beat Denmark's Kristoffer Knudsen and Isabella Nielsen 21-17 21-13 and then notched up a 21-8 21-13 win over the German combo of Jones Ralfy Jansen and Eva Janssens.

In men's singles qualification, Kashyap overcame Denmark's Victor Svendsen 21-13 21-16 but lost to Japan's Takuma Ueda 4-21 19-21 in 36 minutes.

Subhankar Dey saw off Denmark's Kim Brun 21-12 13-21 21- 15 and then got the better of another Danish player, Rasmus Gemke, 21-17 13-21 21-19.

"I am disappointed that I conceded a few points in the last game. It has been happening to me. I was leading against Emil Holst at Dutch open last week. But I am happy to play in the main draw in my second Super Series," Subhankar said.