Published 08:26 IST, November 6th 2019
China Open: Sindhu makes another early exit, Satwik gets twin wins
World Champion P V Sindhu suffered a shock defeat to lower-ranked Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei in the opening round to be ousted
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World Champion P V Sindhu suffered a shock defeat to lower-ranked Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei in opening round to be ousted but India's doubles campaign was off to a good start in USD 700,000 China Open here on Tuesday. World .6 Sindhu, who me early exits in China, Korea and Denmark, lost 13-21 21-18 19-21 to world .42 Pai in a 74-minute women's singles match here. However, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy gave Indian camp reason to be cheerful with twin victories in men's and mixed doubles categories.
Satwik, ors, moved ahe
Thailand Open champions Satwik and Chirag Shetty, who h reached French Open finals last month, defeated American pair of Phillip Chew and Ryan Chew 21-9 21-15 to set up a second-round meeting with sixth seeds Japanese Hiroyuki Endo and Yuta Watanabe. Earlier, Satwik and Ashwini Ponnappa, ranked 30th, defeated Cana's Joshua Hurlburt-Yu and Josephine Wu 21-19 21-19 to make a positive start in mixed doubles competition. y will face fifth-seeded Korean pair of Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yujung next.
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Sindhu's early exit
In men's singles, HS Prany, who has recently recovered from dengue, faltered in opening round, losing 17-21 18-21 to Denmark's Rasmus Gemke. women's doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy was blown away 9-21 8-21 by world .10 Chinese pair of Li Wen Mei and Zheng Yu in 30 minutes. In women's singles match, Sindhu, who h reached quarterfinals at French Open in her last outing, came into match with a 3-0 he-to-he record against Pai but it was 28-year-old Taiwanese, who took initiative early, opening up a 3-0 le in opening game.
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Though Sindhu me it 4-4, Pai was 8-4 ahe before making it 11-5 at break. Taiwanese didn't take her foot off pedal and moved to 12-8 before reeling off eighth straight points to zoom to 20-8. Sindhu saved five game points before Pai earned bragging rights after sealing opening game. In second game, Sindhu dished out a better performance, opening up a 7-4 le and n maintaining it at interval. Indian kept moving ahe and roared back into contest, despite a stiff challenge from Pai.
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Pai got her act toger in decider as she once again dominated proceedings early on, surging to 8-2 before making it 11-3 at brear. experienced Sindhu n came up with nine points on trot to catch up with Pai but Taiwanese mand to held on to a 15-12 le. A fighting Sindhu once again gared six consecutive points to move to 18-15. But four straight points once again gave Pai le and she capitalised on it, sealing issue in end.
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08:11 IST, November 6th 2019