Star Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal fought her way back from a game down to win her opening round match while compatriot P V Sindhu crushed her opponent to storm into the second round of the French Super Series here today.
World number four Saina, seeded fourth in the tournament, lost the first game but rallied in a fine fashion to beat unseeded Nichaon Jindapon of Thailand 12-21 21-16 21-13 in her opening round match that lasted 52 minutes.
The Thai girl matched her fancied Indian opponent in smash and net play and Saina won most of the points through rallies.
Saina showed rustiness initially as her Thai opponent did not allow her to take the lead throughout the first game. It was a close contest till 13-10 before Jindapon won four points on the trot to take the first game.
The second game was a tense affair till midway with the Thai refusing to yield to intense pressure from Saina. They were tied at 12-12, but the Indian surged ahead and won five points on the trot from 14-13 to run away with the second game and take the match to the decider.
The pattern repeated in the decider with both players running neck and neck initially before Saina breaking away from 14-13 with seven straight points to wrap up the match at the Stade Pierre De Coubertin.
Saina will take on Yeon Ju Bae of Korea in the second round.
Earlier in the day, Sindhu made a sensational start to her campaign as she crushed world number six Ji Hyun Sung of Korea in straight games.
World number 10 Sindhu defeated the Korean, who ousted Saina Nehwal at the Denmark Open last week, 21-8 21-12 in just 29 minutes.
Sindhu, who exited the Denmark Open early, rode on her superior smash winners and deft net play to tame the Korean in a one-sided contest.
