Nielsen-Ponnappa ensure Pune avoid 0-5 drubbing

At the Sardar Valabhbhai Patel Stadium here, Ponnappa alongwith Joachim Fischer Nielsen beat Hyderabad's mixed doubles pair of V Shem Goh and Pradnya Gadre 21-11, 21-14 to help Pune avoid a 0-5 drubbing at the hands of the Saina Nehwal-led Hotshots.u00a0

Pune's Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Ashwini Ponnappa (right) return to V Shem Goh and Pradnya Gadre of Pune Pistons during their mixed doubles match of the Indian Badminton League held yesterday. Pic/Shadab Khan

After Ajay Jayaram and Saina Nehwal gave Hyderabad a 2-0 lead by winning their respective singles matches, V Shem Goh and Khim Wah Lim beat Pune's Sanave Thomas-Rupesh Kumar 21-19 21-16 in the men's doubles to make itu00a0

3-0. Then, in the second men's singles match, Hyderabad's Tanongsak beat Pune's Saurabh Varma 21-17, 21-18 to make it 4-0.u00a0