Singapore Open: Praneeth shocks 2nd seed Yun, Jayaram, Pawar bow out

File Photo: Sai Praneeth of India

India’s B Sai Praneeth caused the biggest upset of the Singapore Open Super Series event when he outclassed second seed and world number 4 Yun Hu in straight games 21-9, 21-10 to storm into the second round.

The 61^st ranked Indian wrested the initiative essaying a spate of winners to unsettle his Hong Kong opponent. Praneeth knocked off six points on the trot to surge in the opening game before landing the finishing punches to win it at 21-9.

Yun hardly played like a world number 4 shuttler and committed a slew of unforced errors as Praneeth grew in confidence with every passing point.

The Indian racked up eight consecutive points to deliver a telling blow on Yun, who seemed resigned to his fate.

Praneeth, who made it to the main draw through the qualifying route, hastened Yun’s misery pocketing the second game at 21-10 in a contest that lasted thirty minutes.

The win is a sweet revenge for Praneeth, who had lost to Yun in their only previous meeting at the 2009 Vietnam International Challenge tournament in straight games, 19-21, 12-21.

Earlier, Indian shuttlers made a disappointing beginning. 38^th ranked Anand Pawar lost to top-seed Du Pengyu of China 16-21, 13-21 in the opening round.

25^th ranked Ajay Jayaram fought hard before caving in to fourth seed Kenichi Tago of Japan 19-21, 21-18, 17-21.

42^nd ranked Sourabh Varma also went down to Hong Kong’s world number 14 Wing Ki Wong in straight games 17-21, 17-21.

The 42^nd ranked Indian had earlier beaten Wong in their previous meeting in the 2012 Swiss Open.

In the women’s section, PC Thulasi fought valiantly against Indonesia’s world number 14 Lindaweni Fanetri, taking the opening game before losing 23-21, 16-21, 16-21.

Another Indian woman to fall by the wayside was Arundhati Panthawane.

The 61^st ranked Indian, who made it to the main draw through the qualifying round, lost to Bulgaria’s 26^th ranked Petya Nedelcheva 18-21, 18-21 in a contest that lasted 37 minutes.

This was the Bulgarian’s second win over the Indian. Arundhati earlier lost to Nedelcheva in the 2011 Bitburger Open.

However, India had a mixed bag in mixed doubles. The Indian pair of Arun Vishnu and Aparna Balan got the better of the Thai pair of Songphon Anugritayawon and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul 21-17, 19-21, 21-12 in the first round.

But there was no good news for Tarun Kona and Ashwini Ponnappa as they lost in straight games to third seeds Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia 21-6, 10-21.