Star Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal lost to Zhang Yiman of China in straight sets to crash out of the $120,000 Macau Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament.

The Chinese shuttler needed just 35 minutes to beat Saina 21-12, 21-17 in the quarter-finals of the women’s singles category. Zhang dominated right from the start, taking an 8-5 lead early in the first game.

Saina managed to draw level at 8-8 but Zhang won five back-to-back points to bolster her advantage to 14-8 before closing out the game. Saina dominated the early stages of the second game, putting the local favourite under pressure.

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The Hyderabad shuttler raced to a 6-0 lead before Zhang won five consecutive points to close the gap. It was a neck-and-neck affair till 11-11 before Zhang won three consecutive points.

Although Saina equalised at 14-14, the Chinese star produced a five-point burst to clinch what ultimately proved to be a decisive lead.

IANS

Star Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal defeated Dinar Dyah Ayustine of Indonesia to enter the third round of the $120,000 Macau Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament. In the men’s competition, B Sai Praneeth staged a major upset, beating fifth seed Wong Wing Ki Vincent of Hong Kong in straight games 21-15, 21-17.

In a match which lasted around one hour, Saina edged past her Indonesian opponent 17-21, 21-18, 21-12 in the women’s singles event.

After going down in the first game, the top seed Hyderabadi regained her calm and clinched the next two games to advance in the tournament.

In men’s singles, Parupalli Kashyap, making a comeback after a long layoff, bowed out of the tournament losing his second round match to Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu Hsien 13-21, 20-22.

In a match which lasted 45 minutes, Kashyap gave away the first game easily but in the second game he displayed some quality strokes — he, however, failed to overpower his opponent.

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In men’s doubles category, it was end of road for Indian pair Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy who were beaten by Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Hendra Wijaya of Singapore 22-20, 21-19.

The Indian duo started the proceedings on a good note but after a hard fought battle they lost the first game.

The second game saw both sides battling for each point but the Singapore pair proved superior and clinched the issue.

Among other Indians in the fray, B. Sai Praneeth was to play his second round match against fifth-seed Wong Wing Ki Vincent of Hong Kong.

IANS