Ponnappa-Ivanov in first round of Denmark Open

The Indo-Russian mixed doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Vladimir Ivanov reached the first round of the Denmark Open Super Series Premier by winning their qualifying match here Tuesday.

Ponnappa-Ivanov won 21-18 the first game before the Danish pair of Jeppe Ludvigsen and Mai Surrow retired in the qualifier at the Odense Sports Park.

The Indo-Russian pair was made to work hard by the Danish team.

They took five points at a stretch from 12 to 17 to facilitate their win in the first game.

In the $600,000 tournament, 2012 Olympic bronze medal winner Saina Nehwal will face Germany's Karin Schnaase in the women's singles first round Wednesday while two-time World Championships bronze medallist P.V. Sindhu will take on Hong Kong's Pui yin Yip.

In the women's doubles, 2011 World Championships bronze medallist pair of Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta, will play Dutch pairing of Eefje Muskens and Selena Piek.

In the men's singles competition, Parupalli Kashyap, K. Srikanth will also be in action Wednesday.

While the 2014 Commonwealth Games champion Kashyap will take on England's Rajiv Ouseph, Srikanth will compete against China's Xue Song.