Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) India’s World No. 4 Saina Nehwal crashed out in the first round in the biggest upset of the India Open Super Series at the Siri Fort Sports Complex here Wednesday.

Saina, who was spearheading the Indian campaign at the home event, was stunned 17-21, 19-21 by World No. 24 Japanese Ai Goto.

“It was not my day. She was playing so well. I could not read her game. She was good at the net and with half court smashes. She was getting it right with every stroke,” Saina said.

With her loss, all the five Indian women’s singles players are out of the tournament.

Indian men fared better with Sourabh Verma and Gurusai Datt pulling off two big upsets of the day. The two youngster made the most of the country hosting its first Super Series event and showed resolve in beating their experienced opponents.

Sourabh, a qualifier, upset Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia 21-18, 21-19 in the morning session and Datt then kept his nerve to win a thrilling encounter against World No. 5 nd fourth seed Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana 22-20, 18-21, 21-19.

Sourabh got past the seasoned Sony, a former World No.3 and a bronze medallist at the 2004 Athens Olympics, in 41 minutes.

“It is my biggest win. I was not intimidated by his stature. I just wanted to give my best. I am glad that I began with a victory,” said Sourabh, who won the All India Senior Ranking tournament held at Atul, Gujarat, in February.

The Madhya Pradesh boy is playing his first Super Series event and went past the qualifying stage Tuesday.

“I moved into Gopichand academy during the Commonwealth Games camp and decided to stay there,” said Sourabh.

Datt showed remarkable guts during his victory over Boonsak.

“It is the first time that I have beaten a top-8 player and it will do a world of good to my confidence,” Datt said.

“I have always played close matches against top players but I needed to finish the matches. And victories such as these are something that I was waiting for.

“He is known to comeback in the match and I was expecting a tough fight. I was patient and it paid off. Now, I have to focus on the next match,” said the 21-year-old.

Only other Indian to proceed in the men’s singles was Parupalli Kashyap, who beat Slovakian Michal Matejka 21-7, 21-15.

Anup Sridhar, Arvind Bhat, Anand Pawar, Sai Praneeth, H.S. Prannoy and Ajay Jayram, who gave a fright to World No.1 Lee Chong Wei going down 19-21, 18-21, all exited on the first day.

Pawar gave a tough fight to Japanese Sho Sasaki but lost 21-19, 17-21, 12-21 while Sridhar lost to Taufiq Hidayat 13-21, 5-21.

Bhat lost to South Korean Sung Hwan Park 14-21, 16-21. Prannoy lost to Wan Ho Shon of South Korea 14-21, 12-21.

In the women’s singles, Aditi Mutatkar tamely lost to fourth-seeded Pui Yin Yip of Hong Kong 14-21, 8-21 and Trupti Murgune went down to Aprilla Yuswandari 12-21, 5-21.

In mixed doubles, Akshay Dewalkar and Pradnya Gadre beat Japanese Noriyasu Hirata and Miyuki Maeda 21-17, 21-17 while Tarun Konia and Ashwini Ponnapa went down to Malaysian Soon Chan Peng and Goh Liu Ying 21-23, 10-21.

The women’s doubles pair of Aparna Balan and Prajakta Sawant also lost to Hong Kong’s Kyung Eun Jung and Ha Na Kim 13-21, 9-21.

Another seasoned campaigner Peter Gade brilliantly came back from the brink saving three matchpoints to beat Kazushi Yamada of Japan 13-21, 22-20, 21-8.

The other upset in the men’s singles was Japanese Takuma Ueda, who got the better of fifth seed Simon Santoso of Indonesia 21-13, 22-29.