Saina Nehwal crashed out in the first round of the Hong Kong Open after losing 21-10, 10-21, 19-21 to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi on Wednesday. The Indian was very clinical in the first game. She ensured that Yamaguchi doesn’t catch up with her after Nehwal took the lead at 6-5.
However, Yamaguchi fought back in the second game and levelled the match with the same scoreline as the first game. Nehwal and Yamaguchi got into a furious battle in the third game before the Japanese clinched the last game by just two points.
Nehwal and Yamaguchi played 102 points, out of which, 52 were won by the Japanese. While Yamaguchi saved one game point in the match, Nehwal saved five of them.
The Japanese leads 7-2 in the head-to-head record against Saina Nehwal.
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