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Indian shuttlers disappointed the fans in the second round of the Maybank Malaysia Open Super Series on Thursday 16th January 2014. Both contenders in the women’s singles category – P V Sindhu and Saina Nehwal – were sent packing out of the tournament in their second round matches.
Sindhu failed against the Korean Yeon Ju Bae in a 45-minute clash; she lost to her sixth-seeded opponent 21-16 and 21-19. Yeon dominated throughout the first game and clinically managed to overcome Sindhu’s lead in the crucial stage of the second game to bag the match in her name.
The Indian sensation Saina Nehwal seeded 8th in the tournament, also lost, to the Chinese player Xue Yao. Xue defeated Saina by the score of 16-21, 21-10 and 21-19. The match lasted 56 minutes. Saina looked in a good touch till the end of the first game, but soon after that, Xue surpassed her level in the following games to win the match.
Relief came to the Indian fans when K Srikanth defeated Wan Ho Son of Korea 11-21, 21-19 and 21-19. Even after losing the first game, Srikanth performed with zest and vigour, and outclassed the Korean in the decisive encounters. Srikanth made several sprinting comebacks, most notably in the second half of the third game. The Indian was lagging behind with a score of 10-14 at that intermediate stage, but soon he gained momentum to race to the victory. The marathon match ended in 69 minutes. Srikanth will now play against the 4th seed in the men’s singles category, Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia.
In the last Indian encounter, Kashyap Parupalli, the World No. 20, played against the 3rd seeded Jan O Jorgensen. Kashyap lost against the Danish opposition by the score of 21-18 and 21-15. The first game was balanced and the Indian presented a good fight. But after it became 18-18 on the board, Jorgensen rushed for quick points to bag the game. In the second game, the Indian started with a lead in the beginning. But in the latter half, Jorgensen emerged as a better finisher and cleared his way to the third round by defeating Kashyap in this round two match.
