Shuttlers Sindhu, Jayaram advance in Japan Open

Tokyo, Sep 19 (IANS) China Masters Super Series semi-finalists P.V. Sindhu and Ajay Jayaram advanced to the second round of their respective events here at the Japan Open Super Series Wednesday.

In the men’s singles, Jayaram moved past Singaporean Zi Liang Derek Wong in straight games. The Mumbaikar won 21-14, 21-14 in 25 minutes and will next face Wei Feng Chong of Malaysia.

In women’s singles, Sindhu was taken the distance by local girl Kaori Imabeppu. However, the Indian came out on top winning 21-18, 17-21, 21-13 in 57 minutes. She will next meet fourth-seeded Korean Yeon Ju Bae.

Apart from these two wins, it was a bad day for India in the first round encounters at the Yoyogi National Stadium.

In men’s singles, R.M.V. Gurusaidutt lasted only 43 minutes, going down to fourth seed Sho Sasaki of Japan 18-21, 15-21.

Former World No.1 and seventh seed Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia packed off London Olympics quarter-finalist Parupalli Kashyap 21-18, 21-18 in 48 minutes.

Top seed and World No.2 Lee Chong Wei got rid of Mumbai’s Anand Pawar 21-13, 21-9 in 31 minutes.

B. Sai Praneeth, who qualified for the main draw Tuesday, also did not survive for long in the tournament, going down to Malaysia’s Daren Liew 21-17, 15-21, 20-22 in one hour and four minutes.

Tarun Kona with partner Arun Vishnu played a thrilling second game after losing the first to Japanese men’s doubles fifth seeds Naoki Kawamae and Shoji Sato. The Kerala pair lost 16-21, 24-26 in 37 minutes.

Eighth seeded Malaysians Thien How Hoon and Wee Kiong Tan eased past Thane duo of Pranav Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar 21-16, 21-13 in half-an-hour.

In mixed doubles, India’s only pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tarun Kona went down to the local pair of Noriyasu Hirata and Miyuki Maeda 21-18, 21-19.