Guangzhou (China), Aug 5: Shuttler Ajay Jayaram notched up a stunning victory over higher-ranked Wing Ki Wong of Hong Kong, while Parupalli Kashyap survived a scare in the opening round of the men’s singles competition in the 2013 BWF World Championships here today.
The 25-year-old Ajay, ranked 24th, was good in his attack as well as defence and played a patient game to beat world number 12 Wong 22-20 17-21 21-15 in a 64-minute duel. He will next take on Pablo Abian of Spain in the second round.
However, world number 13 Kashyap had an unexpectedly tough encounter against 98th ranked Raul Must of Estonia. Raul troubled the Indian early in the match but ran out of steam as Kashyap managed a 19-21 21-14 21-9 win in 56 minutes.
But it was a bad day in office for India’s doubles and mixed doubles pairs as they failed to cross the first hurdle.
While the combinations of Aparna Balan and Arun Vishnu lost to Chinese Taipei’s Min Chun Liao and Hsiao Huan Chen 15-21 17-21 in the mixed doubles, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tarun Kona suffered a 18-21 21-12 19-21 defeat to Japan’s Hirokatsu Hashimoto and Miyuki Maeda in the opening round.
In the women’s doubles, Aparna and Siki Reddy N too lost in the opening round, going down to England’s Lauren Smith and Gabrielle White 15-21 17-21 in 34 minutes.
In another match, Dane pair of Line Damkjaer Kruse and Marie Roepke ended the campaign of Pradnya Gadre and Ashwini Ponnappa with a 21-23 21-18 21-17 victory over the Indian pair in the women’s doubles event.
The star of the day for India was Ajay who battled fatigue and lapse in concentration to get the better of his high-ranked opponent. (PTI)
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