Thailand Open: Ajay Jayaram leads six Indian men in second round

India’s Ajay Jayaram overcame stiff resistance from Indonesia’s Shesar Hiren Rhustavito in three games 21-11, 19-21, 21-9 to progress to the second round of the SGC Thailand Open badminton championship being played in Bangkok.

The fifth-seeded Indian started on a bright note showing good net play to unsettle the Indonesian. Ajay – who is among four Indians seeded in the tournament – reeled off four straight points to consolidate his position before bagging the opening game at 21-9.

Rhustavito came out all guns blazing in the second game, showing more sting in his winners. The Indonesian won six points on the trot even as the Indian fought hard to stay in the contest.

The 28^th ranked Indian soon went neck-and-neck with his opponent before Rhustavito played the closing points better to clinch the second game at 21-19.

Ajay showed early dominance in the third game and came up with lethal smashes to march ahead. The Indian, at one stage, bagged five consecutive points to buttress his position before winning it at 21-9.

Ajay now meets fellow country mate HS prannoy in the second round. prannoy moved into the second round, defeating Thailand’s Nonpakorn Nantatheero 21-11, 21-19.

Eight seeded Sourabh Varma ousted Thailand’s Khosit Phetpradab 21-16, 21-18 to sail into the second round.

Tenth seeded Anand Pawar got the better of Indonesia’s Riyanto Subagja 21-15, 9-21, 21-14 to advance to the second round.

B Sai Praneeth also entered the second round after putting it across Malaysia’s Muhammad Hafiz Hashim 21-12, 9-21, 22-20.

Thirteenth seeded K Srikanth became the sixth Indian to progress to the second round, easing past Korea’s Hyuk Jin Jeon 21-17, 21-12.

It may be pertinent to mention that the Indian shuttlers had capped off a fine run in the Yonex Sunrise Indian Open held in New Delhi.

India’s Anand Pawar reached the men’s singles semifinals where he was outclassed by Japan’s Kenichi Tago. PV Sindhu reached the women’s singles semifinals where she went down to Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon.

Five Indians reached the men’s singles quarterfinals – besides Anand Pawar, Ajay Jayram, RMV Gurusaidutt, HS prannoy and B Sai Praneeth – living up to the home fan’s expectations.

Two Indians made it to the women’s singles quarterfinals – Arundhati Pantawane made the last-eight grade along with Sindhu.

However, the country’s top men and women singles players – Parupalli Kashyap and Saina Nehwal – have had a disappointing 2013 so far.

Both have failed to come up with any eye-catching performances this year, especially Saina, who is yet to win her first singles crown of 2013.