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All England Championships: Kidambi Srikanth crashes out in first round, PV Sindhu records easy win
World number six PV Sindhu got the better of her Chinese counterpart Zhang Beiwen in straight games to enter the second round.
It was a mixed day for Indian shuttlers in Birmingham as Kidambi Srikanth crashed out of the first round at All England Badminton Championships but compatriot PV Sindhu progressed with a comfortable win in her tournament opener.
The sixth seed and world number six Sindhu got the better of the American, ranked eight places below her, 21-14 21-17 in 42 minutes.
The second game was a close affair with the two players locked at 16-16. Sindhu, however, won five points in a row after it became 17-all to clinch the issue.
It was the 10th meeting between the two players with Sindhu improving the head-to-head record to 6-4. The last time they met was at the Korea Open where the American won in three sets.
However, in the men’s singles, Srikanth lost in straight games to the Chinese world number five.
The Indian lost 15-21 16-21 in 43 minutes.
Sindhu will next clash with Korean Sung Ji Hyun for a place in the quarterfinals.
Saina Nehwal and P Kashyap are also scheduled to play later Wednesday along with young Lakshya Sen and B Sai Praneeth.
Saina is up against third seeded Japanese Akane Yamaguchi.
In the women’s doubles, Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy will open their campaign against the British pair of Jenny Moore and Victoria Williams.
Meanwhile, the mixed doubles pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy lost 13-21, 21-11, 17-21 to top-seeded Chinese pair of Si Wei Zheng and Ya Qiong Huang.
((With PTI Inputs))
