Mumbai: India’s junior shuttlers put up dominating performances to outclass Macau China and Mongolia 5-0 each in their Group C encounters on the first day of the Badminton Asia Junior Championships 2019 (Mixed Team Event) in Suzhou, China.
The two wins have put India in second place right behind Korea in the four-team Group C which has Mongolia and Macau China as the other members. With India and Korea scheduled to clash on Sunday, the outcome will decide the group leader before the knock-out rounds begin.
Manipur’s Maisnam Meiraba continued his scintillating form after winning his first international tournament at the White Night Russian Junior International earlier this month.
He needed just 22 minutes to dispatch Macau China’s Lee Rui Huan 21-5, 21-7 while Malvika Bansod grabbed the 21-17, 21-7 women’s singles win over Pui Chi Wa.
Ishaan Bhatnagar and Vishnu Vardhan Goud Panjala were highly impressive in their 21-9, 21-9 rout of Ng Ka Seng and Pui Chi Chon that took just 19 minutes.
The women’s doubles point was delivered by Treesa Jolly and Tanisha Crasto who cruised to 21-6, 21-12 win over Pui Chi Wa and Wong Cheng Wa.
In mixed doubles, Dingku Singh Konthoujam and Ritika Thaker staved off some spirited resistance from Leong Iok Chong and Wong Cheng Wa for a 21-17, 21-15 win.
Earlier in the day, India put up a rampaging display against minnows Mongolia to start their campaign on a confident note. The ever-improving Bansod demolished Kherlen Darkhanbaatar 21-2, 21-6 while Sathish Kumar Karunakaran knocked out Sumiyasuren Enkhbat 21-10, 21-6 in boys’ singles.
The doubles teams showed no mercy either. Bhatnagar and Panjala emerged 21-9, 21-6 winners over Sumiyasuren Enkhbat and Sanchirjav Lkhaasuren.
Crasto and Jolly annihilated Kherlen Darkhanbaatar and Munkhnar Lkhagvasuren 21-1, 21-2. The mixed doubles combine of Konthoujam and Thaker sailed past Sanchirjav Lkhaasuren and Munkhnar Lkhagvasuren 21-8, 21-4 in yet another heavily one-sided match.
