New Delhi: Indian badminton ace Saina Nehwal suffered a shock defeat at the Japan Open in the women's singles' second round on Thursday.
The world number one from India went down rather timidly to the unseeded Minatsu Mitani of Japan 13-21, 16-21 at at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. The Japanese girl defeated another Indian, PV Sindhu contender in the first round yesterday.
Saina's defeat meant that there is no Indian challenge left in the women's section, with doubles pairs of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa, and Pradnya Gadre and N Sikki Reddy failing to cross the first round hurdles.
However, in the men's section Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap kept India's hope alive after beating compatriot Kidambi Srikanth 21-11, 21-19 in their single's second round match.
Earlier, HS Prannoy also bit the dust in Tokyo, losing his second round match to LeeDong Keun in straight sets 21-9, 21-16.
