India beat Hong Kong

Asia Team Badminton

Alor Setar, Feb 6: India rode on a strong performance by P.V. Sindhu to defeat Hong Kong 3-2 in their opening match of the Asia Team Badminton Championship on Tuesday.

The 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist got India off to a positive start with a straight-games win over Yip Pui Yin in the first singles.

The 2018 India Open filist beat off a strong fight back by Yin in the second game to carve out a comfortable 21-12, 21-18 result.

Sindhu then teamed up with N. Sikki Reddy to win the second doubles contest. Sindhu and Reddy overcame a mid-match slump to beat Ng Tsz Yau and Yuen Sin Ying 21-15, 15-21, 21-14.

Earlier, Hong Kong won two consecutive matches to take a 2-1 lead in the tie.

After Sindhu won the opening game, Ng Wing Yung and Yeung Nga Ting defeated Ashwini Ponppa and Prajakta Sawant in a tough 52-minute battle in the first doubles to help Hong Kong draw level.

The Hong Kong pair quelled a fierce challenge from Poppa and Sawant to win 20-22, 22-20, 21-10.

Cheung Ying Mei then defeated Sri Krish Priya Kudaravalli 21-19, 18-21, 22-20 to hand Hong Kong a 2-1 lead.

However, after Sindhu and Reddy levelled the five-match tie at 2-2, Ruthvika Shivani Gadde staged a strong comeback to beat Yeung Sum Yee in the third singles. Gadde lost the first game before fighting back to win 16-21, 21-16, 21-13 to help India clinch the tie.

India will take on formidable Japan in their second match on Thursday. IANS