BANGKOK • India's P.V. Sindhu cruised into the second round of the Toyota Thailand Open yesterday to erase the memory of her surprise first round exit a week earlier.
The Rio Olympics silver medallist was sheer class as she pummelled Thailand's world No. 12 Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-17, 21-13 in 43 minutes in Bangkok.
"It was a good game and I'm very, very happy. This win was very important for me in this tournament because at last week's tournament, I went out in the first round," said sixth seed Sindhu.
"So this win today was important, because even though in the first game it was tight, I didn't want to make it easy."
World No. 7 Sindhu fell to Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt in a shock upset a week ago in the first of back-to-back Thailand Opens.
Top seed Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei bounced back from her final defeat to Spain's Carolina Marin on Sunday, beating Thailand's Supanida Katethong 21-16, 21-11.
"I think I played OK today. I am feeling a little better than last week," said the world No. 1.
In the men's singles, former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth polished off Thailand's Sitthikom Thammasin 21-11, 21-11.
The Indian, now ranked 14th, was forced to pull out of last week's tournament with a calf muscle strain.
In the women's doubles, Singapore shuttlers Crystal Wong and Jin Yujia were handed their second first-round exit in two weeks after losing 22-20, 21-18 to Danish world No. 36 pair Alexandra Boje and Mette Poulsen.
Thailand is hosting three consecutive badminton tournaments in Bangkok culminating in the World Tour Finals from Jan 27.
The players have been competing in a bio-secure bubble minus spectators, although the first tournament was overshadowed by three positive coronavirus cases.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
BWF WORLD TOUR
Toyota Thailand Open: Rd of 32 StarHub Ch201/202, 10am & 3pm
