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India’s top mixed doubles pair of N Sikki Reddy and Pranaav Jerry Chopra failed to build on their great Japan Open run as they bowed out in the first round of the $750, 000 Danisa Denmark Open Superseries Premier in Odense, Denmark on Tuesday. The World No. 17 pair lost 17-21, 15-21 to the 27th ranked Irish combine of Sam Magee and Chloe Magee in a 30-minute contest.
Reddy and Chopra had come to this tournament on the back of a semi-final appearance at last month’s Japan Open Superseries where they were the best performing Indians after all singles shuttlers made early exits.
It was the first time that the pair made the semi-finals of any Superseries event. It was also just the third time that any mixed doubles pair from India reached at least the semi-finals of any tournament that has the category of Superseries or above.
Reddy will now focus on her women’s doubles assignment. She and veteran Ashwini Ponnappa face the Malaysian team of Chow Mei Kuan and Lee Meng Yean in the opening round. The latter are just one place above the 23rd ranked Reddy and Ponnappa in the BWF world rankings.
Also read: Sikki Reddy and Pranaav Jerry Chopra achieve unique record with Japan Open semi-final finish
Ponnappa and Rankireddy qualify
Ponnappa and young Satwiksairaj Rankireddy backed up their Dutch Open semi-final run by qualifying for the main draw of the Denmark Open. They first beat the local pair of Kristoffer Knudsen and Isabella Nielsen 21-17, 21-13.
In the final qualifying round, they put in a fabulous performance and needed just 23 minutes to get the better of the German combine of Jones Ralfy Jansen and Eva Janssens, 21-8, 21-13.
Also read: Dutch Open 2017: Ashwini Ponnappa and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy lose semi-final
Mixed fortunes for Parupalli Kashyap and Subhankar Dey
Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap could not live up to his fourth seeding in the final qualifying round and was shown the door by the Japanese shuttler, Takuma Ueda in a 4-21, 19-21 loss.
Earlier, the 31-year-old had notched up a 21-13, 21-16 first round win over Denmark’s Victor Svendsen.
The 74th ranked Subhankar Dey had much better fortunes. He rebounded from a second-game loss to secure a 21-12, 13-21, 21-15 win over Kim Bruun of Denmark.
In his next round, he held his nerves for a thrilling 21-17, 13-21, 21-19 win over Rasmus Gemke en route to a main draw berth.
In women’s singles, 19-year-old Anura Prabhudesai, who is ranked 150th now, crashed out in the first round of qualifying.
