Tantowi-Liliyana claimed the YONEX SUNRISE India Open

Indonesia’s Tantowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir claimed the YONEX SUNRISE India Open Superseries mixed doubles title on Sunday. The tournament has been upgraded to join the OSIM BWF World Superseries calendar. It will become the competision more stringent than  the previously when it was still a Grand Prix Gold event.

Back to the match, the raising pair Tantowi-Liliyana didn’t go the distance in the semi-finals against Muhammad Rijal-Debby Susanto after their compatriot retired. Mohammad Rijal got suffered a muscle spasm in his lower back during the second game after they dropped the opening game.

This meant that Tantowi-Liliyana have more chance to winning in finals against third seeded compatriots Fran Kurniawan-Pia Zebadiah Bern. And they converted the advanted to a victory.

Mixing up play greatfully, the lower ranked Indonesians pushed their team mates to all four corners of the court before taking the first game 21-18. Fran-Pia bauch back in the second game but lacked the killer touch at the crucial point.

Tantowi Liliyana took advantage to finish the second game 23-21 to claim their first ever OSIM BWF World Superseries crowd as a partnership. Tantowi Liliyana carved out a 21-18 23-21 victory over Frans-Pia in 44 minutes. They are also the first Indonesians to win a Superseries mixed doubles title since Liliyana and former partner Nova Widianto won the 2009 French Open.

Taufik knocked out of the YONEX sunrise India Open Super series

Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat was knocked out of the first ever YONEX sunrise India Open Super series on friday, when former Asia Champion Sung Hwan showed no mercy, as he played second seed 21-17 21-17 in quarter-finals that lasted just in 46 minutes.

Sung Hwan defeated, who is seeded sixth, marked the first time had beaten Taufik Hidayat in 11 meeting to reach semifinal of the fourth OSIM BWF World super series tournament of this year.

"The match was evenly balanced and Taufik was playing with great confidence. However, as the match progressed, I could see that Taufik was growing increasingly frustrated with some of his shots and that gave me the confidence to pressure him," said Sung Hwan.

At semifinal Sung Hwan will face the veteran Peter Gade, who defeated Japanese Takuma Ueda 23-21 21-10 in the quarter-finals. That was meant Peter Gade had defeated the third consecutive Japanese opponent in this tournament.

The other semi-final will face top seed Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia taking on Hu Yun, who is eighth seeded shuttler. Yun Hu took the semifinal ticket after ended India’s challenge RMV Gurusai Datt 21-10, 21-16.

World No. 1 Chong Wei defeated Indian qualifier Sourabh 21-7-21-8 that lasted just in 25 minutes. Sourabh had defeated Sony Dwi Kuncoro, Olympic bronze medallist in the opening round and seventh seed Kenichi Tago in the second before meet Chong Wei of Malaysia in round third.

“I am disappointed as I couldn’t play to my potential. I know I can play better. I couldn't adjust to the court and pace of the game. He had a lot of variations and he was using the drops and smashes very well. A lot of my smashes were going out. I need to work harder,” Sourabh told the Press.

The 2011 India Super Series was the fourth super series tournament of the 2011 BWF Super Series. It was the first competition under the new format where a select group of Super Series events were elevated to premier status. The tournament was held in New Delhi, India  from April 26–May 1, 2011 and had a total purse of $200,000.

Saina Nehwal crashed out earlier at Indian Open Super Series

Top seeded Saina Nehwal has the weight of a nation on her shoulders for the second year running, after her Commonwealth success. But there were ups and downs for locals in Delhi for the kick-off of the main draw in the India Open in Delhi.

The first ever Super Series held in Delhi, the Yonex Sunrise India Open Badminton Championships such as a terrible tournament for her. The top seed Saina Nehwal playing well having won the Swiss Open GP gold recently, crashed out 17-21, 19-21 to Japan’s Ai Goto in the women's singles first round at the Siri Fort Sports Complex on Wednesday Apr 27.

Saina said, "It was not my day. She was playing so well. I could not read her game. She was good at the net and with half court smashes. She was getting it right with every stroke."

“She caught me by surprise with her strong play. She retrieved everything I sent to her and she kept the shuttle low. She also was strong in her smashes which I didn’t expect,” Saina told local press.

The 21-year-old from India has been troubled by an ankle injury for the past few months. Saina also looked completely under-perform against her determined opponent.

“The [ankle] injury is not an excuse as I have been training and playing with it before. I just couldn’t find the answers to her play and I made too mistakes.”

This results went as more or less expected. With Saina’s defeat, this tournament came to an abrupt end as the other five local: Sayali Gokhale, Trupti Murgunde and the rising junior badminton star all made it to the main draw by winning both their qualifying round matches have also crashed out.