New Delhi: Saina Nehwal suffered a shock defeat to Inthanon Ratchanok but a determined India rode on P Kashyap and the doubles duo of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa’s stunning wins to enter the quarter finals of the Sudirman Cup. India registered a 3-2 victory over Thailand in the second tie of group C in Qingdao, China on Monday.

World No. 43 pair of Rupesh Kumar and Sanave Thomas gave India a positive start after defeating Bodin Issara and Maneepong Jongjit 21-13, 21-17 in the men’s doubles in the first rubber.

But Saina, who is ranked fourth in the world, lost 14-21, 20-22 to world No. 18 Inthanon in a 36-minute clash in the women’s singles to lose the lead.

Locked 1-1, Kashyap shocked world No. 6 Ponsana 12-21, 21-18, 21-16 in an hour-long clash to bring India back into the hunt.

Inspired by Kashyap’s win, Commonwealth Games gold medallist pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa, ranked 32nd, stunned world No. 8 pair of Duang Anong Aroonkesorn and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul 21-18, 15-21, 21-19 in the fourth rubber to help India clinch the tie convincingly in the end.

Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam reduced the margin for Thailand beating Pranav Chopra and Prajakta Sawant 18-21, 7-21.

Earlier, Saina made a sluggish start and trailed 1-8 and then 3-12 before losing the opening game.

The 21-year-old was came back to take a 12-7 lead but she couldn’t hold on to it as Inthanon took the game away to put the Indian camp in despair.

“I had a tough game yesterday and that made me really slow today but I was still confident I can pull it off today but I made too many mistakes,” Saina said.

While Saina tumbled, the other Indians rose to the occasion to take India to the knock-out stage for the first time since the Sudirman Cup started in 1989.

(PTI)