Saina, Prannoy, Ashwini-Sikki advance at French Open

Indian shuttlers Saina Nehwal, H.S. Prannoy and the women's doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy entered the second round, while Parupalli Kashyap exited in the opening round of the French Open World Superseries here on Wednesday.

Saina Nehwal defeated Line Højmark Kjaersfeldt of Denmark 21-14, 11-21, 21-10 in 50 minutes.

In the men's singles, B. Sai Praneeth also joined Prannoy in the second round.

H.S. Prannoy got past South Korean Lee Hyun II 21-15, 21-17 in 43 minutes.

Praneeth overcame Thailand's Khosit Phetpradab 21-13, 21-23, 21-19 in an hour and five minutes.

However, for Kashyap, it was a disappointing day after he lost to Indonesian Anthony Sinisuka Ginting 23-21, 18-21, 17-21 in an hour and 14 minutes.

The women's doubles pair of Ashwini and Sikki cantered past England's Jenny Moore and Victoria Williams 21-12, 21-12 in 24 minutes.

--IANS

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