Sindhu, Saina sail into second round of Singapore Open
Singapore: Star Indian shuttlers P V Sindhu and Saina Nehwal sailed into the second round of the Singapore Open with straight-game wins over their respective rivals in the women's singles event here Wednesday.
Taking the court first, Sindhu, seeded fourth, took just 27 minutes to get the better of Indonesia's Lyanny Alessandra Mainaky 21-9 21-7 in a one-sided match.
The Rio Olympics silver-medallist will next play Mia Blichfeldt of Denmark.
Later, sixth seed Saina too tamed another Indonesian in Yulia Yosephin Susanto 21-16 21-11 to book her place in the next round.
Saina, who won a bronze in the 2012 London Olympics, will next meet the winner of the match between young compatriot Mugdha Agrey and Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong.
However, it was curtains for India in the opening round of the men's doubles competition.
The pair of Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy lost to qualifiers Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Kean Hean Loh of Singapore 13-21 17-21.
The mixed doubles pair of Saurabh Sharma and Anoushka Parikh too exited in the opening round after a 12-21 12-21 defeat at the hands of third-seeded Thai pair of Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai.
However, Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy progressed to the mixed doubles second round event after beating Arjun M R and K Maneesha 21-18-21-7 in an all-Indian contest.
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Body of Kerala nurse killed in Ahmedabad plane disaster brought home
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The body of a 37-year-old nurse from Kerala who died in the Ahmedabad flight disaster was brought back to her home state on Tuesday morning.
Ranjitha, a native of Pathanamthitta district, was working in the UK when the incident occurred. Her mortal remains were identified through a DNA test.
Her body arrived at the international airport in Thiruvananthapuram around 7 am.
Kerala ministers V Sivankutty and G R Anil were among the officials who paid their last respects.
Senior political leaders, including CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby and Congress veteran Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, also offered tributes.
The coffin was later taken to her village, where it will be kept at a school in Pullad for the public to pay their respects.
Her brother and a close relative accompanied the body on its final journey.
Cremation is expected to take place on the premises of her family home later in the evening.
Ranjitha, a mother of two, was remembered as a dedicated nurse who had worked outside the state for several years to support her family.
