Ponnappa, Rankireddy duo enter main draw of China Open

The Indian mixed doubles pair registered two victories in the qualifying round.

Ashwini Ponnappa (in picture) and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will face Mathias Christiansen and Christinna Pedersen on Wednesday.

The mixed doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa moved into the main draw of the China Open Superseries after two fighting victories in the qualifying, here on Tuesday.

Ponnappa and Rankireddy got past Chinese Taipei’s Lee Jhe-Huei and Wu Ti Jung 24-22, 21-7 before edging out the Danish combine of Niclas Nohr and Sara Thygesen 21-16, 19-21, 22-20.

The Indians face another Danish duo, Mathias Christiansen and Christinna Pedersen, in the first round of the main draw on Wednesday. The leading Indian players, including Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu, will also be in action on Wednesday.

World No. 2 Kidambi Srikanth pulled out of the tournament with a muscle strain.