Dec. 8: Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal cruised into the second round of the Hong Kong Super Series with a comfortable straight-games win over Tsz Ka Chan in Wanchai on Wednesday.
World number two and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Saina defeated Chan 21-16, 21-18 in half-an-hour in the women’s singles event to set up a clash against Salakjit Ponsana of Thailand. Ponsana defeated Hsiao Huan Chen 21-18, 21-13 in her first round match.
Among Indian men, CWG bronze medallist P. Kashyap also crossed the first hurdle with a gruelling three-game win over Chinese Taipei’s Yu Hsing Hsieh in the singles.
The Indian fought past Hsieh 21-14, 19-21, 21-18 in an hour-and-four-minute encounter. He will next face fifth seed Jin Chen of China on Thursday. However, disappointment was in store for other two Indians in fray — Aravind Bhat and RMV Guru Saidutt. While Bhat went down to Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk 13-21, 21-23, Guru fought hard before going down 12-21, 21-19, 13-21 to local favorite Wing Ki Wong.