Badminton: India thrash Germany 5-0 in Uber Cup

Kunshan (China): Former World No.1 shuttler Saina Nehwal helped Indian eves gather a second consecutive 5-0 win at the Uber Cup, this time thrashing Germany to close in on a quarter-final berth here on Tuesday.

The win also made sure India stay in contention to qualify for the quarter-finals from Group D which also includes Japan and Australia.

It was 2015 World Championship runner-up Saina who started the proceedings for India and breezed past her opponent in no time. The London Olympic Bronze medallist outclassed Fabienne Deprez 21-15, 21-10. P.V. Sindhu then blew away Luise Heim 21-7, 21-12 in 26 minutes to give India a 2-0 lead.

India’s favourite pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa -- Commonwealth Games 2010 champion and 2011 World Championship bronze medallists -- rallied back from a game down to beat Linda Efler and Lara Kaepplein 14-21, 21-9, 21-8 in a contest which lasted for 41 minutes. The triumph gave India an unassailable lead of 3-0.

But they did not give up after that. In the last two dead rubbers, Ruthvika Shivani Gadde defeated Yvonne Li 21-5, 21-15, while N. Sikki Reddy and Sindhu came together to edge past Isabel Herttrich and Franziska Volkmann 21-18. 19-21. 22-20 in the second doubles.

India now lock horns with 2014 runners-up Japan in their final group game on Wednesday.