India hardly raised a sweat as they swept aside the challenge of Kenya in their opening match of the team event of the Commonwealth Games at the Siri Fort stadium this afternoon.
Fielding their best team, with the exception of the women's doubles where India fielded Apana Balan to partner Ashwini Ponanapa instead of Jwala Gutta, the home team coasted home 5-0, without dropping a set in the process.
The home crowd were there in numbers and Chetan Anand did not disappoint in the opening match as he easily defeated Victor Odera Munga 21-7,21-13 in just under 20 minutes.
The loudest cheers were reserved for Saina Nehwal, who was given a celebrity like treatment the moment her name was announced. And she duly responded with a clinical display against Mercy Mwethya Joseph winning 21-11,21-4.
“The courts are fantastic but some how I feel its a bit fast. This was a good warm up for me for the coming matches,” said Saina.
“It should be plain sailing at the group stage and the expected matches against Scotland, England and Malaysia are what we should be really concerned about.
“But the team is showing tremendous spirit and this is something to count on to help book a date in the final with gold our eventual target.”
In other matches New Zealand defeated Jamaica 5-0 in a Group B match while in Group D Scotland defeated Barbados with the same score line.
RESULTS – DAY ONE AFTERNOON SESSION
GROUP D
India 5 Kenya 0
Chetan Anand def Victor Odera Munga 21-7,21-13
Saina Nehwal def Mercy Mwethya Joseph 21-11,21-4
Sanave Thomas/Rupesh Kumar def Patrick Kibet Ruto/Victor Odera Munga 21-5,21-5
Ashwini Ponnapa/Aparna Balan def Mercy Mwethya Joseph/Anitah Bushru Alube 21-8,21-6
Jwala Gutta/V Diju def Anna Njambi Ng'ang's/Fedrick Chomba Gituku 21-8,21-5
GROUP B
New Zealand 5 Jamaica 0
Joe Wu def Charles Conran Saunders Pyne 21-13, 21-17
Michelle Chan def Alya Dawne Lewis 21-7,21-11
Henry Tam/Oliver Leydon Davis v Gareth Andre Theodore Henry/Garron Trevor Palmer 21-18.21-18
Danielle Barry/Donna Haliday def Alya Dawne Lewis/Kristal Fayonne Karjohn 21-1,21-5
Henry Tam/Donna Haliday def Gareth Andre Theodore Henry /Kristal Fayonne Karjohn 21-14,21-14
GROUP D
Scotland 5 Barbados 0
Kieran Merrilees def Nicholas Colin Reifer 21-11, 21-11
Susan Egelstaff def Shari Latoya Watson 21-3,21-3
Watson Briggs/Paul van Rietvelde def Nicholas Colin Reifer/Dakeil Jonathan Thorpe 21-16,21-13
Imogen Bankier/Krist Gilmour def Shari Latoya Watson/Mariama Ayana Eastmond 21-12,21-8
Jillie Cooper/ Paul van Rietvelde def Dakiel Jonathan Thorpe/Mariama Ayana Eastmond 21-10,21-10
