PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, three doubles pairs enter Korea Open second round

The second day of the Korean Open BWF World Tour Super 500 badminton tournament turned out to be almost perfect for the Indian camp on Wednesday.

PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and three doubles pairs from India progressed to the second round with ease at the Palma Stadium in Suncheon.

Third seed PV Sindhu launched her campaign on a rousing note. She trounced USA’s Lauren Lam in straight games to enter the women’s singles second round.

The two-time Olympic medalist thumped Lauren Lam 21-15, 21-14 in a match that lasted 34 minutes. World No. 7 Sindhu established a five-point lead (11-6) at the break with some aggressive displays.

Sindhu had a slight wobble after the break which allowed Lam to cut the deficit down to 13-16. Sindhu, the 2017 Korean Open champion, then regrouped herself well to claim the opening game 21-15.

Sindhu faced a stiff fight early in the second game from Lam. The former world champion was leading by just a point at the mid-game break. With the game balanced on a knife’s edge at 15-14, Sindhu suddenly shifted gears and reeled off six points in succession to seal the fate of her opponent.

Sindhu to clash with Japan’s Aya Ohori in the Korea Open second round

It was the second straight win for Sindhu against Lam. In January 2022, she defeated the world No. 70 American on her way to winning the Syed Modi tournament.

Sindhu will now lock horns with Japan’s Aya Ohori. Sindhu has a perfect 11-0 head-to-head record against the Japanese, ranked 26 in the world.

Kidambi Srikanth overcame Daren Liew in the first round

Kidambi Srikanth downed Malaysia’s Daren Liew 22-20, 21-11 in the men’s singles first round encounter. Fifth seed Srikanth took 40 minutes to oust world No. 35 Liew. After trailing 15-18, Srikanth bounced back in style to win the extended first game 22-20.

World No. 12 Srikanth then had little trouble dispatching Daren Liew in the second game. It was Srikanth’s first win against Liew after three defeats on the international circuit.

Former world No. 1 Srikanth will now clash with Israel’s Misha Zilberman in the second round on Thursday. The World Championship silver medalist has beaten world No. 50 Zilberman in their only meeting in 2019.

Third seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty accounted for local pair Tae Yang Shin and Wang Chan 21-16, 21-15 in the men’s doubles first round.

Earlier, Indian men’s doubles pair MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila received a walkover in the first round after South Korea’s Ba Da Kim and Hee Young Park pulled out.

The Indian duo now face Indonesian second seeds Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in Round 2.

B Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa also advanced to the mixed doubles second round. They beat Jun Liang Andy Kwek and Yujia Jin of Singapore 21-19, 21-18 in 37 minutes.

Indian Results (Round 1)

Men’s singles

5-Kidambi Srikanth bt Daren Liew (Malaysia) 22-20, 21-11 (40 minutes)

Women’s singles

3-PV Sindhu bt Lauren Lam (USA) 21-15, 21-14 (34 minutes)

K Sri Krishna Priya lost to 2-An Seyoung (Korea) 5-21, 13-21 (27 minutes)

Men’s doubles

3-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty bt Tae Yang Shin-Wang Chan (Korea) 21-16, 21-15 (36 minutes)

MR Arjun-Dhruv Kapila gets a walkover from Ba Da Kim-Hee Young Park (Korea)

Mixed doubles

B Sumeeth Reddy-Ashwini Ponnappa bt Jun Liang Andy Kwek-Yujia Jin (Singapore) 21-19, 21-18 (37 minutes)

Indian players in action on Thursday (Round 2)

Men’s singles

5-Kidambi Srikanth vs Misha Zilberman (Israel)

6-Lakshya Sen vs Shesar Hiren Rhustavito (Indonesia)

Women’s singles

3-PV Sindhu vs Aya Ohori (Japan)

Malvika Bansod vs 6-Pornpawee Chochuwong (Thailand)

Men’s doubles

3-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty vs Hee Yong Kai Terry-Loh Kean Hean (Singapore)

MR Arjun-Dhruv Kapila vs 2-Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan (Indonesia)

Mixed doubles

B Sumeeth Reddy-Ashwini Ponnappa vs 5-Ou Xuan Yi-Huang Ya Qiong (China).