Shuttlers start of well in Indian Open qualifiers

Indian shuttlers have finally got something to cheer with two of its three players in the women’s section and the only mixed doubles pair of V. Diju and Jwala Gutta made it to the main draw with consummate ease on the opening day of the $120,000 Yonex-Sunrise India Open Gold Grand Prix badminton championship played at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium here on Tuesday.

The Diju and Jwala combine got off to a fine morning start as the duo eased past the pair of Chung Chiat Khoo and Poau Leng Ng of Malaysia 21-9, 21-9 in the first round and later in the evening they came too good against the young Indian combination of Shankar Gopan and Sikki Reddy as they registered a convincing 21-11, 21-4 win over their spirited opponents.

Local lass Sikki Reddy, who lost in the doubles qualifiers, had her easy in the women’s singles. The 16-year-old shuttler got the first round bye and then her opponent Dhanya Nair conceded the second round qualifying match at the time when Hyderabadi girl was leading 13-7 in the first game.

India’s Gayatri Varatak also made it to the main draw with a perspiring 21-19, 21-16 win over Juan Gu of Singapore in the second qualifying round. Gayatri also had to sweat it out in the previous round against Pei Hsin Chiang of Taipei as she scored a hard-fought three game 21-8, 19-21, 21-17 win over her Taipei opponent.

India’s Aditi Mutatkar, Yoama Martinez and Lucia Tavera of Spain and Malaysian Li Ya Lydia Cheah were lucky enough to get a direct entry into the main draw due to lesser number of entries in the women’s section.

Results (qualifying): Women’s singles: Second round: Mingtian Fu (Sin) bt Jiayuan Chen (Sin) 21-14, 21-9; Sikki Reddy (Ind) bt Dhanya Nair (Ind) 13-7 (conceded); Gayatri Varatak (Ind) bt Juan Gu (Sin) 21-19, 21-16; Kamila Augustyn (Pol) bt Aparna Balan (Ind) 21-18, 21-14.

Mixed doubles: Second round: Sheng Shiun Liao & Li Ying Chang (Tpe) bt Alwin Francis & Nitya Sosale (Ind) 21-19, 21-11; V. Diju & Jwala Gutta (Ind) bt Shanker Gopan & Sikki Reddy (Ind) 21-11, 21-4; Yu Yan Vanessa Neo & Danny Bawa Chrisnanta (Sin) bt Jien Guo Ong & Yin Loo Lim (Mas) 20-22, 22-20, 21-17; Sheng Mu Lee & Chia Chen Yang (Tpe) bt Anggun Nugroho & Endang Nursugianti (Ina) 21-15, 21-13.