Sindhu, Praneeth enter second round at Denmark Open

World Champion PV Sindhu gave an impressive start to the Indian campaign at the Denmark Open, claiming a straight-game win over Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in Odense on Tuesday (October 15).

Sindhu, who made early exits from the China and Korea Open, defeated former World Junior Champion Gregoria 22-20 21-18 in 38 minutes to keep her 5-0 record intact against the Indonesian.

Fifth-seed Sindhu will now face Korea’s An Se Young.

In the men’s singles category, World Championships bronze medallist B Sai Praneeth proceeded to the second round beating the legendary Lin Dan 21-14 21-17 in a 35-minute opening round clash.

Also read: Sindhu and Co. eye reversal of fortune at Denmark Open

Praneeth is likely to meet world number one and two-time world champion Kento Momoto next t whom he lost at the World Championships in Basel, Switzerland.

Thailand Open champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also made a good start to their men’s doubles campaign, beating Korean pair of Kim Gi Jung and Lee Yong Dae 24-22 21-11 in 39 minutes.

Former Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap, who had reached the semifinals at Korea Open, failed to cross the opening round after losing 13-21 12-21 to Thailand’s Sitthikom Thammasin in the men’s singles.

National champion Sourabh Verma, who had clinched the Hyderabad Open and Vietnam Open this year, also made an early exit after going down 21-19 11-21 17-21 to Mark Caljouw of the Netherlands.

(With inputs from agencies)