Shuttler Jayaram loses Vietnam Open final in straight games

Indian shuttler Ajay Jayaram had to be content with a runner-up position at the Vietnam Open after losing the final to Shesar Hiren Rhustavito of Indonesia here.

The 30-year-old Indian had an impressive run at the tournament before losing 14-21, 10-21 to Shesar in a 28-minute clash at the $75,000 BWF Tour Super 100 tournament.

It was second consecutive runner-up finish for Jayaram on the circuit as he had also reached the final at the White Nights International Challenge, last month. Jayaram, who is making a comeback after recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered last year, had defeated seventh seed Yu Igarashi of Japan in a straight games in semi-finals.

While World No. 79 Shesar, who had won four consecutive Indonesia International tournament, got the better of India’s Mithun Manjunath 21-17, 19-21, 21-14 in the semi-finals here.

HO CHI MINH CITY:

MIXED DAY FOR ANAND

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand had a mixed opening day with a win, a loss and a draw in the St. Louis rapid and blitz chess event that got underway here.

Starting off with a brilliant victory over Hikaru Nakamura of United States, Anand missed the thread against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France in the second round and then settled for a draw with Sergey Karjakin of Russia to end the day on three points out of a possible six.

ST LOUIS, US:

INIYAN WINS IN CHESS

Indian International Master P Iniyan caused a huge flutter defeating highly rated Grandmaster Sjugirov Sanan in the fifth round of Abu Dhabi Masters chess now underway here. Taking his tally up to 3.5 points out of a possible five, Iniyan raised expectations of a Grandmaster norm after especially the way he crashed through the defences of his famous Russian rival.

It was a Dutch Leningrad by Sanan that landed in early difficulties thanks to a spirited opening display by the Indian.

ABUDHABI:Young