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Singapore Open: Saina surges, other Indians slump

June 15, 2011 22:15 IST

Defending champion Saina Nehwal overcame a second game slump to beat China's Lu Lan and enter the second round of the Singapore Open Super Series on Wednesday.

The world No 4 Indian needed 56 minutes to emerge a 21-18, 13-21, 21-16 winner in the first round of the women's singles.

Saina meets Chinese Taipei's Shao Chieh Cheng next.

Compatriot P Kashyap, however, suffered defeat in the opening round, going down to world No 8 Sung Hwan Park in the men's singles.

The Commonwealth games bronze medalist lost 15-21, 14-21 to the Korean in 44 minutes.

The Commonwealth Games' gold-winning pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa also failed to cross the first hurdle, sent packing by the Korean combo of Kyung Eun Jung and Ha Na Kim 17-21, 14-21 in 26 minutes.

It was also curtains for Rupesh Kumar and Sanave Thomas, who lost 17-21, 16-21 to Hiroyuki Endo and Kenichi Hayakawa of Japan in 36 minutes.

Young qualifier Arundhati Pantawane also suffered defeat in the first round of the main draw, going down to Chinese Taipei's Tzu Ying Tai 16-21, 13-21 in another women's singles match that last just 26 minutes.