little stutter towards the end as lost five consecutive game points, but that did not prove costly. Kashyap plays Tien Minh Nguyen of Vietnam next on Tuesday.< P>
Kashyap’s win came after teammates Jwala Gutta and V Diju lost their opening group mixed doubles match to Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsi 16-21, 12-21. Diju and Jwala will now have to win their remaining two group matches to qualify.
They face Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark on Sunday, a pair that defeated them in both their previous meetings.
Sawarn in repechage
In rowing, Sawarn Singh Virk failed to qualify for the quarters of the men’s single sculls after he finished fifth with a timing of 6:54.04 in heat 1. The Indian, however, has qualified for the repechage to keep hopes alive.
Pugilist Shiva Thapa (18) made a first-round exit in the men’s 56kg after he was given a severe beating by Mexico’s Oscar Valdez Fierro. He lost 9-14.