Two-time world champion and reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain once again felt the Asian heat when she was sent crashing out of USD1 million BCA Indonesia Open Superseries Premier in the first round in Jakarta on Tuesday.
China's 17-year-old Chen Xiaoxin ( Image above) , 17, pulled off the stunning win at the Jakarta Convention Centre with a 21-12, 10-21, 22-20 win in 64 minutes to move into the second round of the women's singles. Xiaoxin will now face Malaysia's Soniia Cheah in the second round. Soniia defeated Chinese Taipei's Chiang Mei-hui 21-18, 21-11.
In another upset of the day Indonesia's Asian Junior runners-up Gregoria Mariska celebrated a sweet win over China's reigning world junior and Asian junior champion Chen Yufei of China. Mariska prevailed 17-21, 21-19, 21-19 in the 70 minute battle for crack against World No 1 and top seed Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei.
Tzu Ying, winner of the All-England, Malaysia Open and the Singapore Open this year apart from winning the Asian title in Wuhan, China in April, came off an easy 21-8, 21-12 winner against Japan's Minatsu Mitani.
India's former world No 1 Saina Nehwal, who is struggling with her form after undergoing knee surgery last year gave India a sweet start to their campaign in Jakarta and join Rio Olympics silver medallist P.V. Sindhu in the second round.
Nehwal outlasted Thailand's former world No 1 Ratchanok Intanon, the No 8 seed 17-21, 21-18, 21-12 in a 57 minute battle. Another Thai opponent Nitchaon Jindapol waits her for a place in the quarter-final. Jindapol dumped Korea's Kim Hyo-min 21-16, 21-14.
No 4 seed Sindhu overcame Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong 21-12, 21-19.
In the mixed doubles Thailand's ranked No 7 suffered another demoralising defeat at the hands of Malaysia's Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie who won 21-16, 15-21, 21-13. The Thais were also beaten in the semi-finals in last week's Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold in Bangkok.
Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing gave Malaysia a triple delight in the mixed doubles first round with a 21-14, 22-20 win over Chinese Taipei's Hsu Ya-ching-Lee Yang.while new pairing Chan Peng Soon-Peck Yen Wei cleared the first hurdle with an upset 21-18, 21-18 win over Indonesia's Ronald Ronald-Melati Daeva Oktavianti.
SELECTED RESULTS (First Round)
Women's singles
Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe) beat Minatsu Mitani (Jpn) 21-8, 21-12
Lee Chia-hsin (Tpe) beat Goh Jin Fei (Mas) 24-22, 21-19
P.V. Sindhu (Ind) beat Pornpawee Chochuwong (Tha) 21-12, 21-19
Chen Xiaoxin (Chn) beat Carolina Marin (Spn) 21-12, 10-21, 22-20
Gregoria Mariska (Ina) beat Chen Yufei (Chn) 17-21, 21-19, 21-18
Saina Nehwal (Ind) beat Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) 17-21, 21-18, 21-12
Soniia Cheh (Mas) bet Chiang Mei-hui (Tpe) 21-18, 21-11
Mixed Doubles
Mathias Boe-Sara Thygesen (Den) beat Praveen Jordan-Debby Susanto (Ina) 15-21, 21-19, 21-11
Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing (Mas) beat Hsu Ya-ching (Tpe) 21-14, 22-20
Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino (Jpn) Edi Subaktiar-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja (Ina) 21-18, 13-21, 21-17
Goh Son Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie (Mas) beat Dechapol Puavanaranukroh-Sapsire Taerattanachai (Tha) 21-16, 15-21, 21-13
Lu Ching-yao-Chiang Kai Hsiao (Tpe) beat Do Tuan Duc-Pham Nhu Thao (Vie) 17-21, 21-16, 21-7
Chan Peng Soon-Peck Yen Wei (Mas) beat Ronald Ronald-Melati Daeva Oktavianti (Ina) 21-18, 21-18
