India's women shuttler led by Sindhu and Ruthvika Gadde coulde not do an encore of the Men's team as it was a wash out for India's women's team as they lost 0-5 to Japan in the evening session. Notably, India's star shuttler Saina Nehwal is not part of the team owing to an injury.
In the tie between PV Sindhu and Japan's Nozomi Okuhara, the Indian shuttler lost to her Japanese rival, who is ranked world number 8.
Sindhu, ranked number 12, began on a confident note and won the first game 21-18, but lost the plot subsequently. The agile Okuhara came up with display of class as Sindhu was made to work acros the court against the grit and strength of Okuhura and errors in line judgement and unforced errors sealed Sindhu's fate t come back into the match
Okuhara went on to gain a firm grip as the match progressed and she eventually pulled off a 18-21, 21-12, 21-12 win.
India's PC Thulasi, who is currently ranked 111, lost to her competitive rival Sayaka Sato 22-24, 14-21.PC Thulasi looked impressive in the first round as the match was an end to end encounter with Thulasi showing some good skills off the net to keep Sato within the gunning range. Sato could not manage a substantial lead as Thulasi always was in with a sniffing chance to seal the first set but eventually Sato showed his experience at the top level to win the close fought encounter 22-24 margin.However in the second set Sato was in firm control of the game as he found empty pockets in the court to unleash her powerful smashes and Thulasi could do little to come back from a set down against an opposition of Sato's class who gave away little to win the set by comfortable 21-14 margin.
Ruthvika Shivani Gadde fresh from her SAG Gold triumph, went down fighting Japan's Yui Hashimoto, ranked 16, in the third singles. Hashimoto defeated Ruthvika 23-25, 21-14, 21-14.
Ruthvika won the first set in a hard fought encounter and showed her rising stature in the shadows of Saina and Sindhu played with grit and confidence.She was good off the court and moved well to reach most technical shots that Hashimoto Yui threw at her and won the opening set 23-25.
True to Japanese traditions with a set down the Japanese shuttler seemed more charged in the next two sets as she won 21-14 and 21-14 with Ruthvika could not sustain her first set momentum.As the match progressed Yui showed great strength and made Ruthvika work hard across the court forth and back and then easily followed it up with powerful smashes to build on healthy lead in both sets.
It was no different in doubles pair as India's double hope of Jwala Gutta and Ashini Ponappa were pitted against Matsutomo and Takahashi the World No. 3 doubles pair and the Japanese pair won convincingly by 21-12; 21-18 margin.
In last encounter of the day PV Sindhu and Sikki Reddy faced Matsuo and Naito won their first set by 18-21 margin infront of a modest but vocal crowd to pep the Indian duo but eventually the Japanese bombers outgunned the Indian pair to win 21-11 and 21-16 margin in next two sets to complete a 5-0 drbiing for Indian women's Team.
India next face Korea in Knock out rounds as tough competition awaits to proceed further into the competition.
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