Hyderabad: National champion Trupti Murgunde
and RMV Gurusaidutt suffered shock defeats but top shuttlers P
Kashyap and Chetan Anand sailed into the pre-quarterfinals
without breaking a sweat in the season-ending India Open
badminton tournament here on Wednesday.
On a day which saw star attraction Saina Nehwal pulling
out because of an ankle injury, the young brigade of Indian
badminton produced some good performances to set the tone at
the Gachibowli stadium.
Experienced shuttler Arvind Bhatt struggled past an
unknown Rohan Castelino, while Ajay Jayaram and HS Prannoy
also reached the pre-quarters.
Young guns Shayali Gokhale and PV Sindhu also reached
the second round. Neha Pandit survived a scare against
Sri Lankan Thilini Jayasinghe on her way to the next round.
PC Thulasi, however, became a first round casualty.
Top seed Indonesian Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka and Tommy
Sugiarto also advanced to the third round, while Chinese
shuttlers Qiao Bin and Chen Yuekun saw off their respective
opponents to enter the last 16 stage.
Eighth seeds Trupti and Gurusaidutt, however, had a
disappointing day as they were knocked out in the first round.
The National champion was sent packing by compatriot
Tanvi Lad 21-19, 21-16, while Guru lost a grim battle against
Chinese Chen Yuekun 14-21, 21-13, 19-21.
However, third seed Kashyap had a walk in the park as he
steamrolled Sameer Verma 21-11, 21-14, while second seed Chetan
took 23 minutes to spank Iranian Mohamad Reza Khanjani 21-17,
21-10 in men`s singles.
But seventh seed Arvind had to survive some nervous
moments before beating Rohan Castelino 14-21, 21-16,
21-17. Jayaram beat Takuma Ueda of Japan 21-12, 21-16, while
Prannoy saw off Indonesian Shesar Hiren Rhustavito 21-18,
21-18.
Sindhu beat Bangladesh qualifier Alina Sultana 21-7,
21-12, Shayali defeated seventh seed Thai Nichaon Jindapon
21-19, 21-12 to set up a clash with Indonesian Belaetrix
Manuputi tomorrow. Neha shrugged off some stiff resistance
from Thilini to beat her 21-19, 20-22, 21-11.
In the mixed doubles, fourth seeds Pranav Chopra and
Prajakta Sawant got a first-round bye, while another Indian
pair of Tarun Kona and Ashwini Ponnappa beat the Bangladesh
combo of Parash Md Ahsun Habib and Alina Sultana 21-9, 21-12.
Second seed Arun Vishnu and Aparna Balan also moved to the
next round after getting a bye.
PTI