Japan thrash India in Uber Cup tie

Bangkok, May 23: India suffered a humiliating 0-5 defeat to Japan in their third and final Group A tie at the Uber Cup badminton tournament here on Wednesday.

In the first game of the women’s singles, Saina Nehwal lost to Akane Yamaguchi 19-21, 21-9 20-22 in a marathon 54-minute match.

In the women’s doubles, Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi hammered Sanyogita Ghorpade and Prajakta Sawant in straight sets 21-15, 21-6 to take a crucial 2-0 lead.

India’s poor performance continued in the third and the do-or die match as Vaishnavi Reddy lost to Nozomi Okuhara 21-10, 21-13 in just 26 minutes of play.

In the fourth match, Indian shuttlers suffered the loss. In doubles match, Shiho Tanaka and Koharu Yonemoto thrashed inexperienced Vaishnavi Bhale and Meghana Jakkampudi 21-8, 21-17 to take a 4-0 lead.

Anura Prabhudesai rounded up a disappointing day for the Indians as she lost in the straight games to Sayaka Takahashi.

The Indian lost 12-21, 7-21 in just 26 minutes.

Meanwhile Chinese women advanced to the knockout stage of the Uber Cup badminton tournament, as the top team in Group D, beating Indonesia 3-2 in their last group match here on Wednesday.

China have thus won all their three Group D matches and entered the knockout stage along with Indonesia, who won two games and lost one.

In the first singles, Chinese shuttler Chen Yufei, currently ranking 5, beat Indonesia’s Fitriani Fitriani 21-10, 21-15, reported Xinhua news agency.

Both Chinese doubles beat their Indonesian opponents on Wednesday. In the first doubles, Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan beat Indonesia’s Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu 21-13, 21-19.

In the second doubles, China’s Huang Yaqiong and Tang Jinhua beat Della Destiara Haris and Rizki Amelia Pradipta of Indonesia 21-16, 21-16. The second and third Chinese singles players lost to their respective opponents. Indonesian player Gregoria Mariska Tunjung beat Gao Fangjie 23-21, 21-16 and Ruselli Hartawan beat Li Xuerui 15-21,21-19,21-18. (IANS)