Saina Nehwal, B Sai Praneeth and HS Prannoy all won their first-round matches at the French Open Superseries on Wednesday, while P Kashyap crashed out at the first hurdle.
Nehwal needed 50 minutes to beat Denmark’s Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt 21-14, 11-21, 21-10, while Prannoy defeated Denmark Open finalist Lee Hyun Il 21-15, 21-17 in 43 minutes.
Sai Praneeth didn’t have it as easy, with Thailand’s Khosit Phetpradab stretching the Indian to three games. Sai Praneeth won the first game 21-13, before Phetpradab edged the second 23-21. The third game was tight as well, as Sai Praneeth nicked it 21-19 to progress.
Kashyap was also taken to three games by Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting, although he ended up on the losing side. Kashyap won the first game 23-21 before going on to lose the next two 21-18 and 21-17.
India’s women’s doubles pair of Ashwini Ponappa and N Sikki Reddy also made it to round two after beating England’s Victoria Williams and Jenny Moore 21-12, 21-12 in just 24 minutes.
Update:
Srikanth Kidambi also proceeded to the second round after his German opponent Fabian Roth retired with the Indian leading 3-0 in the first game.
Meanwhile, Manu Attri and Buss Sumeeth Reddy lost to Russia’s formidable duo Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozonov 11-21,13-21 in the men’s doubles match.
