Ponnappa-Ivanov crash out of Denmark Open

Ashwini Ponnappa

Odense (Denmark), Oct 15 (IANS)

The Indo-Russian mixed doubles badminton pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Vladimir Ivanov were knocked out in the first round of the Denmark Open Super Series Premier here Wednesday.

Ponnappa-Ivanov lost 18-21, 18-21 in 30 minutes to Hong Kong pair Yun Lung Chan and Ying Suet Tse at the Odense Sports Park.

The Indo-Russian team fought hard during the match but failed to get the better of Chan-Tse, who took advantage of small mistakes made by Ponnappa and Ivanov.

The first game saw a closely fought battle but in the second game, the Hong Kong pair collected 10 points at a stretch to rattle the Indo-Russian pair.

However, Ponnappa's hopes in the $600,000 tournament are still alive as she will pair with Jwala Gutta later in the day to play the first round in the women's doubles competition.

The 2011 World Championships bronze medallist Indian team will take on the Dutch pairing of Eefje Muskens and Selena Piek.

Also, 2012 Olympic bronze medal winner Saina Nehwal will face Germany's Karin Schnaase in the women's singles first round Wednesday while two-time World Championships bronze medallist P.V. Sindhu will take on Hong Kong's Pui Yin Yip.

In the men's singles competition, Parupalli Kashyap, K. Srikanth will also be seen in action during the day.

While the 2014 Commonwealth Games champion Kashyap will take on England's Rajiv Ouseph, Srikanth will compete against China's Xue Song.