Li-Ning SINGAPORE Open SS 2013 : Day 1 & 2 (18th & 19th June) - Qualifying & R/32

[Loh]

Badminton: Sai Praneeth stuns second seed Yun in Singapore Super Series

However, all other Indians suffered defeats in the opening round to crash out of the tournament. Ajay Jayaram went down fighting 19-21 21-18 17-21 against fourth seed Kenichi Tago of Japan, while top seed Pengyu Du sent Anand Pawar packing 21-16 21-13 in another men's singles match.


Press Trust of India | Last updated on Wednesday, 19 June 2013 16:58 Print font size



Singapore: Rising Indian shuttler Sai Praneeth B notched up a stunning straight-game victory over world number four Yun Hu of Hong Kong in the men's singles opening round in the Singapore Super Series here on Wednesday.

The world number 61 Indian brushed aside the second seeded shuttler 21-9 21-10 in a match that lasted 30 minutes at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The 20-year-old from Hyderabad, who had spoilt former world and Olympics champion Taufik Hidayat's farewell in Indonesia, will next take on the winner between RMV Gurusaidutt and Wei Feng Chong in the second round.

Praneeth had lost to Yun in straight games at the Vietnam International Challenge in 2009.

However, all other Indians suffered defeats in the opening round to crash out of the tournament.

Ajay Jayaram went down fighting 19-21 21-18 17-21 against fourth seed Kenichi Tago of Japan, while top seed Pengyu Du sent Anand Pawar packing 21-16 21-13 in another men's singles match.

Another rising shuttler Sourabh Varma was defeated 17-21 17-21 by Wing Ki Wong in another men's singles opening round match which lasted for 37 minutes.

In women's singles, Arundhati Pantawane lost to world number 26 Bulgarian Petya Nedelcheva 18-21 18-21, while PC Thulasi put up a gallant fight against world number 14 Indonesian Lindaweni Faetri before going down 23-21 16-21 16-21 in an energy-sapping 66-minute match.

In mixed doubles competition, Indian pair of Tarun Kona and Ashwini Ponnappa lost to third seeds Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir 6-21 10-21, while Arun Vishnu and Aparna Balan suffered a 17-21 21-19 12-21 loss to Thai combo of Songphon Anugritayawon and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul.

Story first published on: Wednesday, 19 June 2013 16:55

 

[Loh]

Indeed Sai Praneeth's victory over Hu Yun was stunning but it must also be rather disappointing for the Indian MS contingent that out of 7 entries, only one managed to advance to R16.

But SP must not let his guard down against Malaysia's Chong Wei Feng, otherwise there will not be any more MS to carry the Indian flag to the next round.

 

[kelana]

The S'porean Govt, PAP, are listening to the grass roots

It's been a bad day for Singapore, not only on the badminton courts but also outside in the open.

Singapore is engulfed by the Sumatran HAZE, which has bedeviled us for a decade and has grown the worst today. Frankly, if the haze pollution is from Singapore, our government will take immediate action to stop it before it deteriorates. Certainly not allow it to get worse for ten years or more. It affects people's health, the economy and bring productive activities to a standstill. I just hope the planes at Changi Airport are not affected....

The S'porean Govt, PAP, are listening to the grass roots...

SINGAPORE, June 20, 2013
Singapore and Indonesia were scheduled to hold emergency talks Thursday after thick smog from forest fires on Sumatra island reached unprecedented levels in the city-state.

Singapore said it was sending the chief executive of the National Environment Agency (NEA), Andrew Tan, to attend an emergency meeting to be hosted by Indonesia's foreign ministry in Jakarta on the haze crisis.

"We need urgent and definitive action by Indonesia to tackle the problem at source," said Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore's minister for the environment and water resources.

"Singaporeans have lost patience, and are understandably angry, distressed and concerned."

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he will meet "relevant ministers" on Thursday and hold a press conference on the situation.

"Please stay indoors where possible and avoid heavy outdoor activities. Look out for one another - we will get through this together," he said on his Facebook page.

Singapore's air pollutant index was still in the "unhealthy" band at mid-morning Thursday with a reading of 153 after spiking past the government-designated "hazardous" level of 300 the night before.

Smog was still visible as Singaporeans went to work Thursday, and more commuters were seen wearing disposable medical masks than in previous days.

The acrid odour of burnt wood could be smelled even inside the air-conditioned trains of Singapore's metro system.

Drug stores in the central business district were sold out of disposable masks and refused to take advance orders, telling customers to return the next day in case new stocks arrived.

The previous Singapore air pollutant index high of 226 was recorded in September 1997 at the height of a Southeast Asian calamity also resulting from vast amounts of haze from Indonesia, where slash-and-burn farming generates large amounts of smoke during the dry season that begins in June.

Singapore has urged children, the elderly, and those with heart or lung disease to avoid outdoor activities and seek medical treatment early if they feel unwell.

Local and international schools were already on summer holiday when the haze reached unhealthy levels at the start of the week.

Parts of Malaysia close to Singapore have also been severely affected by the smog.

The Indonesian forestry ministry said Wednesday that it plans to use cloud seeding to try and unleash rain on Sumatra.

Smallholders and plantations in Sumatra -- some of them with Singaporean investors -- have been accused of using fire to clear land for cultivation, but big palm oil companies deny involvement in such activities.

 

[scorpion1]

Indeed Sai Praneeth's victory over Hu Yun was stunning but it must also be rather disappointing for the Indian MS contingent that out of 7 entries, only one managed to advance to R16.

But SP must not let his guard down against Malaysia's Chong Wei Feng, otherwise there will not be any more MS to carry the Indian flag to the next round.

Yes Loh.. Even i thought of mentioning it.. Chong Wei feng is a good opponent... Hoping for the best from sai praneeth..

 

[scorpion1]

Takuma UEDA improves his H2H vs. Kashyap PARUPALLI in the 2nd longest match today, 70'
now the H2H is 1-2

[TABLE="class: ruler matches"]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]9:00 PM[/TD]
[TD]MS[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]

[TD="align: right"] Takuma UEDA [/TD]

[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]-[/TD]
[TD]

Kashyap PARUPALLI [7]

[/TD]
[TD]18-21 22-20 21-15[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1:10[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Kashyap is completely out of form ... Takuma ueda used his opponent's sluggishness to win the match...

 

[howdidoo]

Yes Loh.. Even i thought of mentioning it.. Chong Wei feng is a good opponent... Hoping for the best from sai praneeth..

Gurusaidutt almost sent Chong packing last night, gave him a tough fight and got disturbed over couple of line calls which went against him. But plenty of supporters for Malaysian and only handful for Indian.
Partly because Haze sent most supporters home and also coz almost all Indians lost matches yesterday.