PV Sindhu cruises into Arctic Open second round; Tharun, Rounak reach main draw

File Image: PV Sindhu eased past Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang in straight games to reach the second round of the Arctic Open. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

PV Sindhu advanced to the women’s singles second round of the Arctic Open Super 500 tournament on Tuesday, while Tharun Mannepalli and Rounak Chouhan secured places in the men’s singles main draw on a mixed day for India.

Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist and former World champion, eased past Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang 21-8, 21-11 in just 28 minutes.

The 31-year-old, who won the Japan Open in July, will next face either Chinese Taipei’s Lin Hsiang Ti or Japan’s Riko Gunji.

Unnati Hooda and Ashmita Chaliha, however, bowed out after three-game battles. Hooda went down 16-21, 21-15, 22-24 to China’s Han Qian Xi, while Chaliha lost 7-21, 21-14, 24-26 to seventh seed Line Christophersen of Denmark.

Malvika Bansod came through qualifying with a 21-15, 14-21, 21-14 win over Chinese Taipei’s Sung Shuo Yun, but her run ended in the opening round of the main draw, where Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour beat her 21-18, 21-13.

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In men’s singles qualifying, Mannepalli defeated Belgium’s second seed Julien Carraggi 21-12, 19-21, 21-13 and will face Denmark’s Magnus Johannesen next.

Chouhan also advanced after edging Israel’s Daniil Dubovenko 18-21, 21-17, 21-19. He will take on China’s Weng Hong Yang in the main draw.

Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj exited qualifying, while Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu and Pochana Arjun Reddy were beaten in men’s doubles.

In mixed doubles, Ishaan Bhatnagar and Shruti Mishra also suffered a first-round defeat.