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Kuala Lumpur, Jan 15 (IANS): Top Indian women’s singles shuttlers Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu made winning starts in the new year, notching up first round wins at the $500,000 Malaysia Open Super Series Premier at the Putra Stadium here Wednesday.
Eighth seed Saina took 36 minutes to get rid of Indonesia’s Hera Desi 21-10, 21-16 in their first ever meeting. The World No. 8 will now, for the first time in her career, take on Chinese World No.30 Yao Xue.
World Championship bronze medallist Sindhu had a tough outing against old foe Lindaweni Fanetri of Indonesia. But the World No. 11 Indian came out on top, winning 21-17, 21-18 in 43 minutes to take a 3-2 lead in the head-to-head.
Sindhu now faces an even tougher match ahead in Round 2, against South Korean sixth seed Yeon Ju Bae, who beat the Hyderabadi in their only match at the 2012 Japan Open.
It was a disappointing day for Mumbai’s Anand Pawar in men’s singles who could not put up much of a fight against Zhengming Wang of China and went down 12-21, 11-21 in 33 minutes.
