Indian shuttlers reach Round of 16 (Roundup)

Indian shuttlers made merry at the Commonwealth Games Wednesday as all of them won their respective matches in straight games to enter the last 16 at the Emirates Arena here.

P.V. Sindhu and P.C. Thulasi in women's singles and R.M.V. Gurusaidutt, Kidambi Srikanth and Parupalli Kashyap in men's singles notched up wins in the Round of 32.

Men's doubles pair of Akshay Dewalkar and Pranaav Jerry also started with a victory while women's doubles defending champions Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa got a walkover.

Thulasi started the proceedings with a facile 21-10, 21-2 victory in 24 minutes over Northern Ireland's Sinead Chambers. It was followed by Sindhu's 21-4, 21-6 win in 17 minutes over South African Sandra le Grange.

In the men's matches, Gurusaidutt defeated Uganda's Edwin Ekiring 21-13, 21-11 in half an hour, Srikanth overcame Welsh Daniel Font 21-8, 21-13 in 24 minutes and Kashyap won 21-9, 21-5 in 19 minutes against Barbadian Dakeil Thorpe.

Later, Dewalkar and Chopra beat Sachin Dias and Buwaneka Dullewa of Sri Lanka 21-10, 21-9 in 23 minutes.

Jwala and Ashwini entered the Round of 16 after Kiribati's Tinabora Tekeiaki and Teitiria Utimawa gave them a walkover.