Saina, Srikanth, Prannoy advance at Denmark Open

Indian shuttlers Saina Nehwal, Kidambi Srikanth and H.S. Prannoy entered the second round, while B. Sai Praneeth and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy were eliminated in the opening round of the Denmark Open World Superseries Premier here on Wednesday.

Hyderabadi Saina, 27, ousted Olympic 2016 champion and two-time world champion Carolina Marin of Spain with a 22-20, 21-18 victory in 46 minutes.

With this win, London Olympics bronze medallist Saina has taken a 5-4 lead in head-to-head record against the 24-year-old Spaniard.

Men's singles eighth seed Kidambi Srikanth eliminated compatriot Subhankar Dey with a 21-17, 21-15 victory in 35 minutes.

Joining Srikanth in the second round was Prannoy, who beat Danish Emil Holst 21-18, 21-19 in 48 minutes.

Satwik lost both in the men's doubles and mixed doubles. He partnered Ashwini Ponappa in the mixed doubles and they lost to Niclas Nohr and Sara Thygesen 19-21, 17-21 in 39 minutes.

Satwik and Chirag Shetty then lost to South Koreans Chung Eui Seok and Kim Dukyoung 21-14, 18-21, 17-21 in 56 minutes.

Danish Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus defeated Praneeth 21-10, 21-15 in 39 minutes.

Indian men's doubles pair of Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy were humbled by Danish sixth seeds Mads Conrad-Petersen and Mads Pieler Kolding, who won 21-13, 21-18 in 35 minutes.

--IANS

pur/nir