Mixed opening day for Indian shuttlers at Yonex Japan Open

Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa

It was a mixed opening day for the Indian shuttlers at the Yonex Japan Open Super Series as a few of them progressed to the next round whereas some will return back home.

Tanvi Lad, a 21-year-old shuttler from Mumbai and a former junior national champion who is the only Indian player in the women’s singles category, stunned the World No. 18 Scottish shuttler Kirsty Gilmour 13-21, 21-11, 21-17 in the opening round match which lasted for an hour and 3 minutes.

Tanvi’s start to the match was not particularly good as she lost some quick points in the early part of the first game. She tried her level best to make a comeback but her efforts were not enough as Gilmour won five points in a row to take a stranglehold on the lead and eventually clinch the game.

But Tanvi fought back strongly in the next game and didn’t gave her opponent a single chance, as she won the game with ease by a margin of 21-11.

The third game was a lot more evenly contested as both the players fought hard for each and every point. From 16-15 Tanvi won the next couple of points to further increase her lead but the Scottish ace won the next two points to cut down the lead to just one.

But from 18-17 Tanvi won three points in quick succession to draw the curatins on the hopes of Gilmour.

Tanvi will next play the World No. 35 Chinese shuttler Xin Liu. Liu caused one of the biggest upsets of the tournament when she defeated the reigning All England Champion and current World No. 4 Intanon Ratchanok 21-11, 14-21, 21-16 in the opener.

It was a disappointing day in the men’s singles category as three out of the four Indian shuttlers lost their respective matches.

The only winner in this category was Sourabh Verma. Currently the 36-ranked shuttler in the world, Verma defeated World No. 29 Wei Nan of Hong Kong 21-19, 14-21, 20-22 in a nail-biting opening encounter which lasted for an hour and 6 minutes.

Verma has a tough task ahead of him though as he plays the World No. 4 Japanese shuttler Kenichi Tago in the next round.

Olympic quarterfinalist and World No. 21 Parupalli Kashyap disappointed his fans as he lost to a qualifier, World No. 116 Japanese player Riichi Takeshita 21-15, 23-25, 18-21 in the opening round.

India’s no. 1 and current World no. 13 K. Srikanth also lost to World No. 12 German shuttler Mark Zweibler 21-18, 13-21, 8-21 in 49 minutes whereas R.M.V. Gurusaidutt went down to Takuma Ueda 21-10, 15-21, 21-13 in an hour and 2 minutes.

It was a rather good day in doubles for India as the country’s two pairs advanced to the second round.

In mixed doubles the World No. 38 pair of Tarun Kona and Ashwini Ponappa defeated the World No. 21 German pair of Peter Kaesbeur and Isabel Herrtrich 18-21, 21-18, 21-17 in a 53 minute match. They next face the World No. 19 Japanese pair of Kenichi Hayakawa and Misaki Matsutomo for a place in the quarters.

In women’s doubles the World No. 32 Indian pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa thrashed the 90th-ranked Japanese pair of Ayane Kurihara and Naru Shinoya 21-18, 21-16 in the first round.

They face a real challenge in the next round though as they will be up against the World No. 10 Korean pair of Kyung Eun and Ha Na Kim.