Parupalli Kashyap enters second round of Badminton Asia Championship

New Delhi: Parupalli Kashyap made a strong start to his campaign at the $200,000 Badminton Asia Championship, thrashing Singapore’s Derek Wong Zi Liang in straight games to reach the second round in Wuhan, China, on Sunday. Commonwealth Games gold medallist Kashyap, who held a 4-2 record against his rival before the match, outplayed Derek 21-17, 21-13 in a 39-minute contest at the Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium.

The 28-year-old from Hyderabad will next take on Ya Ching Hsu of Chinese Taipei on Wednesday.Kashyap has beaten Ya twice, the last being at the India Super Series last month at the Siri Fort Complex here.It was heartbreak for the CWG silver medallist Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa, who failed to cross the opening hurdle, going down 17-21, 21-15, 15-21 to Chinese Taipei pair of Yu Po Pai and Ya.

“I was able to control the speed of the game better than him today. I was moving well and played some good attacking strokes and smashes,” Kashyap said. “My dribbles were also good. I’m happy to win in straight games,” he added.Two-time World Championship bronze medallist P.V. Sindhu returns to the court after a stress fracture to her left foot. The eighth seed from Hyderabad, who claimed a bronze in the last edition, got a bye in the opening round and will take on Uzbekistan’s Anait Khurshudyan.