Shuttler Saina Nehwal gets off to winning start in Rio Olympics

Saina produces an imperious form throughout the match to register an emphatic 21-17, 21-17 win over her Brazilian compatriot

Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal, one of the country's strongest medal hope, kicked off her campaign at the Rio Olympics on a winning note as she brushed aside Brazil's Lohaynny Vicente in straight games in the opening match of the women's singles event here on Wednesday.

Saina, the bronze medallist at the 2012 London Olympics, produced an imperious form throughout the match to register an emphatic 21-17, 21-17 win over her Brazilian compatriot in the one-sided contest that lasted for 39 minutes at Riocentro- Pavilion.

The 26-year-old, who hails from Hyderabad, will play her next Group G match against Ukraine' Ulitina Maria.

Earlier today, P. V Sindhu, the other shuttler in fray, also made a great start to her badminton campaign by thrashing Hungary's Laura Sarosi 21-8, 21-9 in her opening round.

Meanwhile, the Indian women's double pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa had lost 15-21, 10-21 to top-ranked Japanese pair of Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsumoto in a match which lasted 36 minutes in their Group A opener.

In the men's doubles competition, Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy also suffered a 18-21, 13-21 defeat at the hands of World No.2 Indonesian pair of Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in their first match.