Saina Nehwal vs Carolina Marin, Live Badminton Score and Updates, Denmark Open Super Series 2017 First Round

It has been a great day for the top Indian shuttlers. Srikanth Kidambi, HS Prannoy all won earlier and now Saina joins them as well.

Later in the day, PV Sindhu will be in action. You can follow her match live HERE:

Find out how Srikanth Kidambi won his first round match HERE:

Needless to say, this will do a world of good to Saina's confidence, especially because she lost to Marin in Tokyo just last month!

What a start to her 2017 Denmark Open campaign!

WOW! What a performance that was from Saina Nehwal! From start to finish, she just held it altogether. Marin, who won the last Superseries event in Tokyo, looked clueless.

Final score: Nehwal def Marin 22-20, 21-18

And the shuttle floats wide from Marin! SAINA NEHWAL WINS!!!!!!

Marin saves one.

THREE MATCH POINTS FOR SAINA AT 20-17

Can Saina hold off?

Sudden spark of life from the southpaw! She takes 3 points on the trot to close the gap to 17-19

19-15

And 19-14....just two points away from the BIG WIN!

18-13 now for Saina.

Marin's celebratory shouts are much less now

17-12...can she cross the finish line?

16-11 is the lead for the Indian now!!!!

Yet another error from Marin..she is not able to keep her comeback going because of it. It sends Saina up to 14-11

2 errors from Nehwal....Marin now trails 11-12

Post-break, Saina still has a lead....12-9

Saina has an 11-8 advantage at half-time.

Big forehand down the line from Marin...8-10

It is 10-7 for the Indian

Saina surges to a TWO-POINT lead over the Olympic champion...9-7

7-7..still hard to separate the two

Some more 'come on's from Saina....she is making her intentions very clear!

This time it is Saina who inches ahead to 7-6

6-6

And SHE IS BACK...5-5

Saina trying to come back...4-5

It is still a TWO-POINT lead for the Japan Open champion....5-3

This time Marin breaks away to 4-2

Tight affair to noone's surprise...2-2

SECOND GAME

1-1

Saina is moving beautifully all over the court which is a very good sign. Most importantly, she has been targeting the lines and hasn't been missing much. She needs to keep this going for Marin will surely try to bounce back soon.

SAINA FINDS THE CORNER!!!!!! 22-20

SECOND GAME POINT FOR SAINA..21-20

Marin screams as she saves the game point..20-20

And Nehwal has a GAME POINT...20-19

SAINA FINDS THE LINE WOW! 19-19

This time Marin takes the lead...19-18

It is 18-18

Saina is very pumped up....shouting 'come on' after every point!

Long, gruelling rallies now....the Indian inches ahead to 18-17

17-17...not a surprise anymore, isn't it?

Early return from Saina to go up to 17-16

And...16-16...Marin is indeed slightly error-prone today.

And...15-15...pretty tense it is

It is even again...14-14

14-13 for Saina

But Marin is not to be kept on the backfoot for long...she storms back to 13-13

Saina stretching Marin out of the court and it is paying off...13-11 is her lead

Saina Nehwal vs Carolina Marin, Live Badminton Score and Updates, Denmark Open Super Series 2017 First Round

Nehwal beats Marin 22-20, 21-18 to enter the second round.