Saina knocked out of Japan Super Series

After the high of last week’s Chinese Taipei Open triumph, ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal hit a low as she crashed out of the Japan Super series Badminton tournament with a straight-game defeat in the first round in Tokyo on Wednesday.

The Beijing Olympics quarterfinalist lost 18-21, 16-21 to seventh seed Hong Kong’s Mi Zhou in a 30-minute contest. Zhou will take on local favourite Megumi Taruno, outplayed Canada’s Charmaine Reid 21-8, 21-9.

Saina had clinched the prestigious Grand Prix Gold event in Chinese Taipei last week after a fine Olympic debut, in which she beat some higher ranked opponents en route to the quarterfinals.