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| India lose 2-3 to Malaysia in Sudirman Cup |
Olympic bronze medallist Saina brought India back in the contest with a narrow 24-22, 21-13 win over world number 56 Tee Jing Yi in a 44-minute singles match.
HYDERABAD: The eight-month 'enforced' absence from the court seems to have done no harm to Lee Chong Wei's game. The Malaysian was as good as ever and brooked no challenge from India's Kidambi Srikanth as he helped his team down India 3-2 in the Group I D encounter of the Sudirman Cup mixed team event in Dongguan, China, on Monday.
Malaysia, who defeated South Korea 3-2 on Sunday, have ensured their berth in the quarterfinals. With two out of the three teams qualifying for the knockouts from each group and Malaysia winning both their matches, the tie between South Korea and India on Wednesday will decide the second team from this group.
Saina Nehwal and women's doubles duo of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won their matches, but Srikanth, the men's doubles and mixed doubles teams faltered.
India were off to a disastrous start when the men's doubles pair of Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy went down to Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong 15-21, 16-21 in straight games.
The Indians, ranked No. 30 in the world, just one rung behind their opponents, had beaten the Malaysians in January but they looked completely out of sorts on Monday.
Saina made it 1-1 for India with a straight-game victory over Tee Jing Yi 24-22, 21-13. The world No. 2 took some time to settle down as she fought back from a 17-19 deficit and was even forced to save three game points before prevailing in the end. But once she got into her rhythm, Saina looked a different player in the second game.
World No. 4 Srikanth looked good in patches but Chong Wei got better and better towards the end of the first game. Wei, who was world No.1 for a number of years before he was banned for a doping violation, was in great touch.
The 32-year-old dominated the contest as he got off to a good start in both the games and though Srikanth came up with some unbelievable returns and smashes, Wei was clearly the better of the two.
Staring down the barrel after trailing 1-2, India got the much-needed boost when seasoned shuttlers Jwala and Ashwini recovered after losing the second game to beat higher ranked Vivian Kah Mun Hoo and Woon Khei Wei 21-18, 19-21, 21-15.
With this win, Jwala & Ashwini avenged their Commonwealth Games loss in the final. While Jwala controlled the net brilliantly, Ashwini covered the court exceptionally well.
Though they looked like losing the grip when they lost three straight points at 15-12, the duo exhibited their class by securing six consecutive points from 15-15.
At 2-2, the mixed doubles contest turned out to be decider but Arun Vishnu and Sikki Reddy went down to Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying 14-21, 18-21.
Result: Malaysia bt India 3-2 (Men's doubles: Manu Attri/Sumeeth Reddy lost to Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong 15-21, 16-21; Women's singles: Saina Nehwal bt Tee Jing Yi (56) 24-22, 21-13; Men's singles: Kidambi Srikanth lost to Lee Chong Wei 16-21, 15-21; Women's doubles: Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponnappa bt Vivian Kah Mun Hoo/Woon Khe Wei 21-18, 19-21, 21-15; Mixed: Arun Vishnu/Sikki Reddy lost to Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying 14-21, 18-21).
Malaysia, who defeated South Korea 3-2 on Sunday, have ensured their berth in the quarterfinals. With two out of the three teams qualifying for the knockouts from each group and Malaysia winning both their matches, the tie between South Korea and India on Wednesday will decide the second team from this group.
Saina Nehwal and women's doubles duo of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa won their matches, but Srikanth, the men's doubles and mixed doubles teams faltered.
India were off to a disastrous start when the men's doubles pair of Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy went down to Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong 15-21, 16-21 in straight games.
The Indians, ranked No. 30 in the world, just one rung behind their opponents, had beaten the Malaysians in January but they looked completely out of sorts on Monday.
Saina made it 1-1 for India with a straight-game victory over Tee Jing Yi 24-22, 21-13. The world No. 2 took some time to settle down as she fought back from a 17-19 deficit and was even forced to save three game points before prevailing in the end. But once she got into her rhythm, Saina looked a different player in the second game.
World No. 4 Srikanth looked good in patches but Chong Wei got better and better towards the end of the first game. Wei, who was world No.1 for a number of years before he was banned for a doping violation, was in great touch.
The 32-year-old dominated the contest as he got off to a good start in both the games and though Srikanth came up with some unbelievable returns and smashes, Wei was clearly the better of the two.
Staring down the barrel after trailing 1-2, India got the much-needed boost when seasoned shuttlers Jwala and Ashwini recovered after losing the second game to beat higher ranked Vivian Kah Mun Hoo and Woon Khei Wei 21-18, 19-21, 21-15.
With this win, Jwala & Ashwini avenged their Commonwealth Games loss in the final. While Jwala controlled the net brilliantly, Ashwini covered the court exceptionally well.
Though they looked like losing the grip when they lost three straight points at 15-12, the duo exhibited their class by securing six consecutive points from 15-15.
At 2-2, the mixed doubles contest turned out to be decider but Arun Vishnu and Sikki Reddy went down to Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying 14-21, 18-21.
Result: Malaysia bt India 3-2 (Men's doubles: Manu Attri/Sumeeth Reddy lost to Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong 15-21, 16-21; Women's singles: Saina Nehwal bt Tee Jing Yi (56) 24-22, 21-13; Men's singles: Kidambi Srikanth lost to Lee Chong Wei 16-21, 15-21; Women's doubles: Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponnappa bt Vivian Kah Mun Hoo/Woon Khe Wei 21-18, 19-21, 21-15; Mixed: Arun Vishnu/Sikki Reddy lost to Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying 14-21, 18-21).
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