No end to Tai Tzu woes for Saina
Birmingham, March 14: Saina Nehwal made a firstround exit from the All England Championship with a straight- games defeat to world no. 1 and defending champion Tai Tzu- Ying on Wednesday.
In the men’s draw, third seed Kidambi Srikanth advanced to the second round with a 7- 21, 21- 14, 2220 win over France’s Brice Leverdez.
Saina, who had reached the final in the 2015 edition, couldn’t match the precision and athleticism of Tai Tzu, losing 14- 21, 1821. It was Saina’s eighth successive loss to the Taiwanese wizard in five years.
After failing to keep pace with Tai Tzu in the opening game, the 27- year- old Indian blew away a 16- 11 advantage in the second to bow out of the $ 1,000,000 world Super 1000 tournament.
Saina, who had lost to Tai Tzu in the finals of the Indonesia Masters early this year, showed grit to keep herself in the rallies but the Taiwanese was simply phenomenal and displayed her mastery of strokes in the 38- minute clash.
LI UPSETS INTANON IN FIRST ROUND Canada’s Michelle Li sensationally caused an upset by defeating 2017 runnerup Ratchanok Intanon.
The tie looked an intriguing one as soon as it was announced and so it would prove as Li delivered a strong performance to win.
Thailand’s Intanon, seeded third in the world, defeated the Canadian player three times in 2017 but Li believes an adjustment in her mental approach was key in Birmingham as she won 21- 15 14- 21 21- 19.
“I feel pretty good and I feel like I played pretty well,” said the world no. 17. “I was able to keep my nerves in control this time so I’m very happy.”