Saina, Popat have it easy

After a stellar display in the mixed team event, India's [ Images ] shuttlers maintained the fine run in individual badminton tournament at the 18th Commonwealth Games [ Images ], with all of them making it to the pre-quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Saina Nehwal [ Images ], who shone in the team event beating the gold and silver medallists of the Manchester Games, continued to impress even as Aparna Popat and fourth seed Chetan Anand [ Images ] reached the last 16 in women's and men's draw respectively.

Last edition's bronze medallist Popat scored a 21-13, 21-12 victory over Julia Wong of Malaysia to advance to the pre-quarter-finals in the women's singles.

The seasoned Popat, however, has a tough task ahead as she faces defending gold medallist Li Li of Singapore in the next round on Thursday.

Sixteen-year-old Saina, who upset the top two seeds in the mixed team event earlier, had no problems against Thilini Jayasinghe of Sri Lanka [ Images ].

She stormed into the round of 16 with a convincing 21-7, 21-11 victory.

The unseeded Indian set up a pre-quarter-final clash with world no 29 Aiying Xing of Singapore.

In another women's singles match Trupti Murgunde trounced Alissa Dean 21-2, 21-8 and will meet Susan Hughes of Scotland next.

Fourth seed Chetan Anand, who got a bye in the first round, started his medal quest in style, trouncing Isle of Man's Matthew John Wilkinson 21-7, 21-10.

World no 22 Anand will take on Stephan Beeharry in the round of 16 on Thursday.

In another men's singles match, National champion Anup Sridhar notched a 21-11, 21-2 win over Jonathan Neil Morgan of Wales.

Sridhar will clash with New Zealand's [ Images ] top ranked player Geoffrey Bellingham in the pre-quarters.

However, in the mixed doubles event, Chetan's better half Jwala Gutta [ Images ], pairing with V Diju, lost to the Singaporean duo of Susilo Ronaldo [ Images ] and Yanmei Jiang 14-21, 18-21.

Results (second round singles):

Men: Anup Sridhar bt Jonathan Neil Morgan 21-11 21-2; Chetan Anand bt Matthew John Wilkinson (Isle of Man) 21-7, 21-10

Women: Trupti Murgunde bt Alissa Dean (Fiji) 21-2, 21-8; Saina Nehwal bt Thilini jayasinghe (Sri) 21-7, 21-11; Aparna Popat bt Pei Xian Julia Wong (Malaysia) 21-13, 21-12.