Thailand Open: Saina Nehwal loses in second spherical, injured Kidambi Srikanth offers walkover

Star India shuttler Saina Nehwal was knocked out of the Yonex Thailand Open Super 1000 after dropping the ladies’s singles second spherical to Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan on Thursday.
In a battle of attrition, Saina managed to seize the opening sport however ran out of steam in the long run, dropping 23-21 14-21 16-21 in a match that clocked 68 minutes. It was Saina’s fourth straight loss to the world quantity 12 Busanan.

Lost within the second spherical at present towards busanan from Thailand.. 23-21 , 14-21 , 16-21 in 70 minutes match .. general very robust event after recovering from covid and will put together just for two weeks earlier than this… however pleased that I attempted my greatest n gave all of it 👍 #ThailandOpen pic.twitter.com/WtltXjIhbZ
— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) January 14, 2021
In the boys’s singles, former world primary Kidambi Srikanth was compelled to offer a walkover to his eighth seeded Malaysian opponent Lee Zii Jia after pulling up his proper calf muscle.

Very unhappy to allow you to all know that I’ve been suggested to drag out of Thailand Open as a result of a calf muscle pressure. I hope to be match by subsequent week for the subsequent spherical of the Thailand leg. pic.twitter.com/jXTr4P25QF
— Kidambi Srikanth (@srikidambi) January 14, 2021
Earlier within the day, Indian males’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty bowed out of the competitors after struggling a 19-21 17-21 defeat towards second seeded Indonesian mixture of Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan.
Saina and Busanan engaged in some lengthy rallies but it surely was the Thai shuttler who had the final chuckle as she dished out some delectable drops and likewise stood out with higher placement of pictures.
Busanan opened up a 3-0 lead early on however Saina slowly got here again and took a slim 6-5 lead. A cross court docket shot helped Busanan flip the tables once more as she led 11-9 on the break.
The Thai participant maintained her two-point cushion until 15-13 however a exact stroke on the backline helped Saina to attract parity. The duo then moved neck and neck until 17-17 earlier than Saina managed to eke out a two-point lead with an outstanding internet shot.
Saina held a few sport factors along with her opponent miscuing a internet shot however Busanan as soon as once more caught up with the Indian, grabbing a sport level herself.
Saina made her rival twist and switch throughout the court docket after which produced one other exact shot on the backline to once more take the lead. She pocketed the sport when Busanan’s weak return discovered the web.
In the second sport, Busanan once more ran up a 5-3 lead with Saina committing few unforced errors. The Thai seemed in management as she moved to 10-6 earlier than going into the interval with a four-point lead.
Busanan continued her positive run and strengthened her internet play too to increase the benefit to 15-9. Saina narrowed the deficit with 4 straight factors.
Busanan, nonetheless, broke the run of factors by reeling off 5 factors on the trot to succeed in sport factors and roared again into contest when the Indian hit extensive.
After the change of sides, the Thai woman was fast to leap to a 5-1 lead. Saina managed to chop down the result in 4-6 however issues weren’t going too properly for her as she both discovered the web or hit lengthy. Resultantly, Busanan held a snug 11-7 benefit once more.
Saina’s struggles continued after the breather as Busanan led 18-11. The Indian gained just a few factors earlier than handing her rival six match factors. Saina saved two match factors earlier than hitting one lengthy.