Saina Nehwal, Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy enter second round of India Open

• Integrity Education, Delhi
• 13, Jan 2022

Top Indian shuttlers Saina Nehwal, Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy progressed to the second round of the India Open with contrasting wins in Delhi on Wednesday. Former world no. 1 Saina, moved to the second round after her opponent Czech Republic's Tereza Svabikova suffered a back injury and retired mid-way while lagging 20-22 0-1 in the opening round match.

Saina, seeded fourth, will next play with Malvika Bansod, who defeated fellow Indian Samiya Imad Farooqui in another women's singles match.

In Men's singles, eighth seed Prannoy, a former world top 10 player, defeated Spain's Pablo Abian and will next face Mithun Manjunath.

Third seeded Lakshya Sen, who claimed the world championships bronze on debut last month, thrashed Egypt's Adham Hatem Elgamal 21-15 21-7. He will now take on Sweden's Felix Burestedt.

Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy, seeded second, also entered the second round beating compatriots Janani Ananthakumar and Divya R.Balasubramanian.

Among other Indians, Aakarshi Kashyap beat compatriot Anura Prabhudesai, while Rahul Yadav Chittaboina got a walkover after Spain's Luís Enrique Penalver's withdrawal.

Sources : News on AIR