Saina had no trouble against Cheng, a dangerous player who reached the final of the World Championships in 2011, dismissing her in just over half-an-hour 21-14 21-10. Saina ran off to a quick start and never allowed Cheng to get close in the first game, rocketing to a 15-4 lead and closing out at 21-14. The second game was tighter in the early part, with Cheng going 7-3 ahead, but then Saina took eight points in a row and continued with that momentum to seal the match.
Meanwhile, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa were dismissed by the top seeded Chinese pair of Wang Xiaoli/ Yu Yang 21-10 21-17 in 34 minutes. The first game was a whitewash for the Chinese but the second game was closer, as the Indians remained within reach and even levelled at 13-all, but Xiaoli and Yu Yang took the next five points in a row and ended the contest. Saina next plays either Jiang Yanjiao (China) or world junior champion Ratchanok Inthanon (Thailand).
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