Fullerton, June 25: World Junior Championship silver medalist Tanvi Sharma and Thailand Masters champion Devika Sihag made a strong start at the US Open, securing easy victories on Thursday.
In the first round of women’s singles, Tanvi defeated Germany’s Yvonne Li with scores of 23-21, 21-16. Meanwhile, Devika triumphed over Peru’s Ines Lucia Castillo, winning 21-14, 21-14.
Emerging player Raunak Chauhan also impressed by beating former World Junior silver medalist S. Shankar Muthusamy with a score of 23-21, 21-16. Following this, fifth-seeded Kidambi Srikanth claimed victory against compatriot D. Sanith, winning 21-14, 21-12 in just 30 minutes.
In women’s singles, Rakshita Sri and the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Rawat and K. Manisha also advanced to the next round. Rakshita defeated Czech Republic’s Tereza Swabikova 21-15, 21-8, while the seventh-seeded mixed doubles duo of Dhruv Rawat and Manisha overcame Indonesia’s Virwan Ehsan Adam and Serena Kani with scores of 21-15, 21-16 in a match lasting 26 minutes.
On the first day, the women’s doubles pair of Trisa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand began their campaign with a win against Spain’s Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez, securing a spot in the second round. Trisa and Gayatri are the only Indian pair in the women’s doubles draw. After a three-month rehabilitation from injury, Trisa returned to competition at the Indonesia Open earlier this month.
No Indian pairs are participating in the men’s doubles draw, as Asian Games champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are currently sidelined. Satwik is still recovering from an injury sustained at the Indonesia Open earlier this month. Additionally, current men’s singles champion Ayush Shetty will not return to defend his title from last year’s US Open. Former Indian champion HS Prannoy is also absent from this tournament.
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