Indian pair in China Open main draw

The mixed doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa qualified for the main draw of the China Open Superseries Premier event after two fighting victories in the qualifying.

Ponnappa and Rankireddy got past Chinese Taipei’s Lee JheHuei and Wu Ti Jung 24-22, 21-7 before edging out the Danish combine of Niclas Nohr and Sara Thygesen 21-16, 19-21, 22-20.

The Indians face another Danish duo, Mathias Christiansen and Christinna Pedersen, in the first round of the main draw.

The leading Indian players, including Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, will also be in action.

World number two Kidambi Srikanth pulled out of the tournament with a muscle strain.

TOP-RANKED FENG AIMS TO INSPIRE CHINESE

Feng Shanshan hopes to inspire a generation of Chinese golfers after becoming the first player from the country to reach world number one.

No man or woman from China had ever sat atop the golf rankings, but that changed on Saturday when the 28-year-old Feng triumphed on home soil at Hainan Island to claim a second successive LPGA Tour victory.

Her ascension to number one was confirmed this week, underlining China’s growing influence in a sport that was banned under Mao Zedong. “It’s the longest day in my life to wait for the update of the world ranking,” Feng told LPGA.com. “When I finally see the Chinese flag on top of the ranking I feel all the efforts over the past 18 years on golf is worth it.

FUZHOU (CHINA): SHANGHAI: