It was a mixed day for India in the Thomas and Uber Cup as the Indian women's team completed a 5-0 sweep over Canada, while the Indian men went down 4-1 to Malaysia at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in Delhi.
Star shuttler Saina Nehwal provided a winning start to India in the Uber Cup, as she easily overpowered Jocelyn Ko 21-4, 21-12. The opener proved to be a warm-up game for the highest-ranked Indian shuttler as she only took 25 minutes in completing a straight game victory.
The Indian team built a 2-0 lead over the visitors, when 11th-ranked PV Sindhu took just 26 minutes to defeat Rachael Hondreich in straight games. Rachael played well in the first game, but the star Indian shuttler cut short her task in the second to wrap up the match 21-16, 21-3.
India built an unassailable 3-0 lead over Canada when the doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa defeated the Canadian duo Alex Bruce-Chan Phyllis 21-11, 21-12. The next two games were just the formalities as PC Thulasi won the third singles, while the pair of Pradnya Gadre and N Siki Reddy won the second doubles.
The Indian men had a dismal start to their campaign in the Thomas Cup as the Malaysian team completely outplayed them in the first rubber.
World number one Lee Chong Wei set the tone for Malaysia in the first singles by defeating K Srikanth in straight sets. The 18th-ranked Indian was no match for the Malaysian, as he wrapped up the opener 21-19, 21-12.
Malaysia built a strong 2-0 lead by winning the doubles that followed. The pair of B. Sumeet Reddy and Manu Attri was defeated by Boon Heong Tan and Thien How Hoon 21-14, 21-11.
Indian captain Parupalli Kashyap had a colossal task in front of him but he never looked at his best against Wei Feng Chong. After going down 21-13 in the first game, Kashyap completely surrendered the second 21-6.
V Shem Goh and Wee Kiong Tan made it 4-0 for Malaysia by winning the second doubles 21-17 14-21 21-14 against Akshay Dewalkar and Pranaav Jerry Chopra.
RSV Gurusaidutt gave the home crowd something to cheer about by registering a hard-fought victory over Daren Liew 18-21, 21-13, 21-19.
Find the Uber Cup highlights HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.
Find the Thomas Cup highlights HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.
