Lakshya Sen thumped compatriot Sourabh Verma in straight games to enter the second round but it was curtains for H.S. Prannoy, P. Kashyap and Saina Nehwal at the Denmark Open Super 1000 tournament here on Wednesday.
Lakshya dished out a superb performance to outclass Sourabh 21-9, 21-7 in 26 minutes.
In another men’s singles match, sixth-seeded Jonatan Christie of Indonesia overcame Prannoy 21-18, 21-19 in 46 minutes. P. Kashyap retired while trailing 0-3 against the fourth seed Tien Chen Chou of Chinese Taipei.
Saina, who had retired midway through her first match at Uber Cup Final due to a groin injury, couldn’t match Japan’s World No. 20 Aya Ohori and lost 16-21, 14-21 in the opening round.
The Indian doubles players had a dismal outing as apart from Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa, none of the others could put up a fight in their respective matches.
While Satwik and Ashwini’s gallant battle ended with a 17-21, 21-14, 11-21 loss to China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Du Yue in mixed doubles, J. Meghana and Poorvisha S. Ram lost 8-21, 7-21 to Indonesian combination of Nita Violina Marwah and Putri Syaikah in women’s doubles.
Ashwini and N. Sikki Reddy also went down 17-21, 13-21 to the second-seeded Korean pair of Lee Sohee and Shin Seungchan.
On Wednesday, the World No. 25 was up against Sourabh, an opponent against whom he had lost twice in the past but it made no difference as Lakshya dished out a dominating show to blow the latter away.
The results: First round: Men: Lakshya Sen bt Sourabh Verma 21-9, 21-7; Jonatan Christie (Ina) bt H.S. Prannoy 21-18, 21-19; Tien Chen Chou (Tpe) bt P. Kashyap 3-0 retd.
Women: Aya Ohori (Jpn) bt Saina Nehwal 21-16, 21-14; Doubles: Nita Violina Marwah & Putri Syaikah (Ina) bt J. Meghana & Poorvisha S. Ram 21-8, 21-7; Lee Sohee & Shin Seungchan (Kor) bt Ashwini Ponnappa & N. Sikki Reddy 21-17, 21-13.
Mixed doubles: Feng Yan Zhe & Du Yue (Chn) bt Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Ashwini Ponnappa 21-17, 14-21, 21-11.
