India had a mixed start to their Asia Badminton Championship campaign as Kidambi Srikanth was knocked out in the first round, while PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal and Sameer Verma advanced to the second round after their respective wins on Wednesday.
Kidambi Srikanth shockingly lost to Indonesia's Shesar Hiren Rhustavito in direct games in the first round of the men's singles event.
The Indonesian outplayed the Indian ace shuttler and won the match 21-16 22-20, which lasted for 44 minutes. It was a surprise that World no.8 Srikanth lost to World No.51 Shesar.
They had faced each other earlier only once before this tie in the BWF World Junior Championships in 2011, where the Indonesian had got the better of Srikanth.
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Olympic and world championship silver medallist Sindhu eased past Takahashi Sayaka of Japan in straight games. Sindhu looked in command from the beginning and registered a thumping 21-14 21-7 victory in just 28 minutes. The fourth seed Indian will next face Choirunnisa of Indonesia.
World number nine Saina had to work hard in her bid to get the better of China's Han Yue. The seventh seed Indian came back strongly to pull off a thrilling 12-21 21-11 21-17 win after conceding the first game. The London Olympic bronze medallist will next square off against Kim Ga Eun of South Korea.
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In the men's singles, Sameer Verma notched up a hard-fought 21-13 17-21 21-18 victory over Sakai Kazumasa of Japan. The Indian survived a scare after losing the second game but, after struggling for an hour and seven minutes, he trumped the Japanese.
The world number 15 Indian will next face Hong Kong's Ng Ka Long Angus.
It was the end of the road for the men's doubles pair of M R Arjun and Ramchadran Shlok, who went down 18-21 15-21 to the Chinese duo of He Jiting and Tan Qiang.
In the women's doubles, Meghana Jakkampudi and Poorvisha S Ram lost 21-13 21-16 to the Thai pair of Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai.
Pooja Dandu-Sanjana Santoshi K lost their women's doubles tie against Sri Lanka's Thilini Pramodika Hendahewa-Kavidi Sirimannage 13-21 21-12 12-21.
Aparna Balan-Sruthi KP will take on Singapore's Yujia Jin-Ming Hui Lim in the women's doubles tie later during the day.
(With Agency inputs)
