Tasnim defeated Keyura Mopati 13-21, 21-14, 21-19, while Ashmita overcame Sai Chukka (India) 21-12, 12-21, 21-17. Odisha girl Swetaparna Panda, the lone representative of the host State, and her partner Sri Sai Sarva (India), however, bowed out of the womens doubles event, losing to experienced opponents Sanyogita Ghorpade and Shruti Mishra (India) 18-21, 12-21 in first round.

Cuttack girl Swetaparna is set to her mixed doubles second round match tomorrow with Balkeshari Yadav as partner. They got walkover in their first round against Arya Thakore and Mahek Nayak. Fifth seeded womens doubles pair of Gayatri Gopichand/Treesa Jolly and mixed doubles combination of MR Arjun/Treesa Jolly won respective matches in straight games.

Meanwhile, withdrawal of womens singles top seed Saina Nehwal, her husband and mens singles top seed Parupalli Kashyap along with other seeded players resulted in many more walk-overs. But what disappointed the players most was the large number of positive results in Covid tests.

Though well-known shuttlers, including N Sikki Reddy and Odisha star Rutaparna Panda were physically fit to compete, their test results, conducted at an ICMR lab, came positive. But much to their dismay, when they underwent tests at private diagnostic centres, the results came negative.

Moreover, players had to run from pillar to post to get the official test reports. Signature of the competent authority and some important facts and figures were not their in the reports. Some of the helpless players took to social media to express their plight.

But the Badminton Association of India (BAI) clarified that the tests were being conducted according to the protocols set by the BWF through a designated lab and there was no reason to question the authenticity of the reports.

“The lab which is conducting the tests for participants in the Odisha Open is an ICMR Lab run directly by the Government of India and boasts of the highest level of precision in its protocols,’’ BAI Secretary Ajay K Singhania said in a statement.
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TOP: Junior World No 1 Tasnim Mir in action at the Odisha Open in Cuttack on 26 th January 2022.
RIGHT: Woman star shuttler N Sikki Reddy expresses helplessness in her instagram post.