Sameer Verma bows out of Malaysia Open

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India's Sameer Verma put up a daunting effort before going down in three games in a pulsating opening round clash against World No. 2 Chinese Shi Yuqi in the USD 750,000 Malaysia Open here yesterday.

Verma, 24, who had lost to Shi Yuqi in the semi-finals of the World Tour Finals in December last year, suffered a heart-breaking 20-22, 23-21, 12-21 loss in a 65-minute men's singles.

Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy, however, made a good start eking out a 22-20, 24-22 win over Ireland's Sam Magee and Chloe Magee in mixed doubles. Unfortunately, Sikki Reddy along with her partner Ashwini Ponappa, went down fighting 20-22 21-17 20-22 to the Korean duo of Baek Ha Na and Kim Hye Rin.

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