Sindhu, Srikanth quick off the blocks

Bali, December 1

Top Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth registered straight-game victories to make impressive starts to their respective singles campaigns at the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals here today.

Sindhu, a two-time Olympics medallist, saw off Denmark’s Line Christophersen 21-14 21-16 in a lopsided Group A contest after former world No. 1 Srikanth had beaten France’s Toma Junior Popov 21-14 21-16 in 42 minutes in the men’s singles Group B opener.

Sindhu, the only Indian to win the year-ending tournament in 2018, will meet Germany’s Yvonne Li next. Srikanth will face Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn.

Young Lakshya Sen also won his first match of Group A after world No. 1 Kento Momota of Japan retired injured when the scoreline was 1-1 in the first game.

However, the women’s doubles pair Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy lost 14-21 18-21 to second-seeded Japanese combination of Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida in their opening Group B match. The men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were beaten 16-21 5-21 by Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen in Group A. — PTI