It wasn’t the ideal start for Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa as they lost their opening Group A fixture 21-15 21-10 to the Japanese pairing of Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo.
The opening set saw the Indian pair begin on a positive note, but the Japanese duo were quick to assume control of proceedings. With a combination of smashes and fine net play, they took full advantage of Gutta-Ponnappa's relatively slow footwork, leading 11-8 in the interval.
The tale continued to remain the same after the break as the Indian pair, particularly Jwala, were put under immense pressure by their opponents. They couldn’t make any inroads into the defences of Takahashi and Matsutomo, losing the first game 21-15.
The second game saw the Japanese pairing take control from the word go as India continued to search for momentum, trailing 1-5 to start. They regained their footing a little after that but found themselves 6-11 down at the break.
There was no respite for them after the break either, as Takahashi and Matsutomo kept the pressure going to win the second game 21-15.
Final Score: Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo. beat Jwala Gutta /Ashwini Ponnappa 21-15 21-10
