Thailand Open: Saina, Srikanth advance, Kashyap retires midway

TIL Desk Sports/ Star India shuttler Saina Nehwal and former world number one Kidambi Srikanth entered the second rounds of their respective events but Parupalli Kashyap made an early exit from the Thailand Open Super 1000 tournament, in Bangkok on Wednesday.

Saina got the better of Selvaduray Kisona of Malaysia 21-15, 21-15 in the women’s singles opening round to set up a clash with Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan. Saina, who was first forced to withdraw from the event for positive COVID-19 results on Tuesday but later returned a negative test, thanked the Badminton World Federation officials and doctors for allowing her to participate.

“Yesterday, I was given a positive COVID-19 result after my PCR test but I already told them that I had COVID last November, so I have antibodies. I tried to explain this to the doctor and after my blood tests and chest X-rays the doctor said I was OK and I don’t have COVID-19,” Saina said after her win.