Samiya, Gayatri make winning start

New Delhi: Six Indian shuttlers, including Samiya Imad Farooqui and Gayatri Gopichand, cruised into the second round of the singles event at the Dutch Junior International in Haarlem, Netherlands.Former under-15 Asian Junior Championships gold medallist Farooqui, who logged in the maximum points among girls in the domestic tournaments last month, recorded an effortless 21-12, 21-11 win over England’s Lisa Curtin on Wednesday. 

The in-form Gayatri, winner of two All India Junior Ranking titles, staved off some stiff resistance from Korea's Da Jeong Chung to win 21-18, 22-20. Treesa Jolly also kick started her campaign with a 21-15, 21-17 victory over Leona Michalski. In boy's singles, there was no stopping Maisnam Meiraba Luwang who had won a couple of All India Junior Ranking Tournaments to secure his berth in the team. 

In a 30-minute clash with Sweden's Ludvig Petre Olsson, the Manipur shuttler scripted a 21-10, 21-11 victory. Priyanshu Rajawat showed nerves of steel to eke out a gritty 19-21, 21-18, 21-17 win over Magnus Klinggaard while Sai Charan Koya easily beat Calle Fredholm 21-11, 21-14. In the doubles event, three Indian pairs made a winning start in the first round. Ishaan Bhatnagar-Edwin Joy and Navaneeth Bokka-Vishnu Vardhan Goud Panjala won their respective matches to enter the second round in the boy’s doubles. 

Chhattisgarh’s Bhatnagar and Kerala's Joy displayed some stunning resilience to register a comeback 16-21, 21-17, 21-17 win over Rafael Gavois and Vincent Ziegler in a 58-minute marathon. Bokka and Panjala, both from Telengana, had it easier as the pair demolished Rens Lagrouw and Dyon Van Wijlick 21-14, 21-13. 

In the girl’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Varshini Viswanath Sri beat Kirsten De Wit and Jaymie Laurens 21-10, 21-16, while Bokka and Sahithi Bandi crumbled to a 21-23, 21-17, 13-21 defeat to Zheng Xunjin and Qian Gouhong in a hard-fought opener in mixed doubles event.