Sindhu, Srikanth, Praneeth progress to 2nd round of Indonesia Open

Bali, Nov 24 (UNI) Indian star badminton players PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and B Sai Praneeth advanced to second round of the Indonesia Open Super 1000 here on Wednesday.
Olympic double medallist Sindhu came from behind 17-21, 21-17, 21-17 to outwit her opponent Aya Ohori of Japan in one hour and 10 minutes in women’s singles event.
The Indian had to alter her plans after going down in the first game. Sindhu stormed back to seal the match, extending her head to head record 11-0 against the Japanese. Sindhu will next meet Germany’s young shuttler Yvonne Li in the second round.
In men’s singles event, Praneeth took only 46 minutes to defeat Toma Junior Popov of France by 21-19, 21-18 in a closely contested match. In another men’s singles event, Srikanth once again got the better of fellow Indian Prannoy H.S.
The former world number one Srikanth defeated Prannoy 21-15, 19-21, 21-12 in nearly one hour. Praneeth will take on Christo Popov of France, while Srikanth will meet either Dane Victor Axelsen or Koki Watanbe.
Indian mixed doubles pairing of B. Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa went down 24-22, 12-21, 19-21 against Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Nami Matsuyama in less than one hour. In another mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and N. Sikki Reddy lost to Kyohei Yamashita and Naru Shinoya of Japan.

In women’s doubles event, Ponnappa along with N. Sikki Reddy bowed out after suffering a 27-29, 18-21 defeat at the hands of Gabriela Stoeva and Stefani Stoeva of Bulgaria.