Sindhu, Jayaram advance, Sai, Prannoy lose in Asia Championships

Wuhan (Chi), April 26: India’s Ajay Jayaram caused an upset, while P.V. Sindhu had an easy start, though Sai Nehwal, H.S. Prannoy and the doubles pairs exited the Badminton Asia Championships on the opening day here on Wednesday.

World No.13 Jayaram stunned Chinese fifth seed Tian Houwei 21-18, 18-21, 21-19 in an hour and 10 minutes to enter the second round where he will face Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Jen-hao.

His fellow men’s singles shuttler, Prannoy went down fighting to Hong Kong eighth seed NG Ka Long Angus in a 16-21, 21-13, 19-21 loss in an hour and a minute.

Rio Olympic silver medallist and fourth seed Sindhu defeated Dir Dyah Ayustine of Indonesia 21-8, 21-18 in just 31 minutes in a relatively one-sided affair at the Wuhan Sports Center Gymsium. Sindhu, the 2014 edition bronze medallist, will meet Japanese Aya Ohori in the next round.

Sai Nehwal, who has two bronze medals from the continent’s marquee event, bowed out as she was beaten by Japan’s Sayaka Sato 21-19, 16-21, 18-21 in one hour and eight minutes.

In the mixed doubles category, it was end of road for Praav Jerry Chopra and N. Sikki Reddy as the Indian pair failed to breach the Chinese wall and thus got beaten by top seeds Zheng Siwei and Chen Qingchen 15-21, 21-14, 16-21 in 50 minutes.

Sikki also lost in the doubles competition. She and Ashwini Ponppa lost to South Koreans Chae Yoo Jung and Kim So Yeong 20-22, 16-21 in 37 minutes.

J. Megha and Poorvisha S. Ram crashed out against South Korean second seeds Jung Kyung Eun and Shin Seung Chan 11-21, 16-21.

The men’s doubles pair of Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy also suffered a loss in the opening round. They went down 9-21, 18-21 to Chinese fifth seeded combine of Fu Haifeng and Zhang n in 28 minutes. (IANS)