Second seed Nehwal suffers early loss at BWF World Superseries Finals in Dubai

Saina Nehwal was beaten in straight games in her women's singles opener ©Getty Images

Second seed Saina Nehwal suffered a straight games defeat in her opening match of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Superseries Finals in Dubai.

The Indian, who briefly topped the women’s world rankings earlier this year, had her preparations for the tournament disrupted by an injury and Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara took full advantage, taking charge of the encounter from the outset.

Okuhara won the opening game of their Group A by 21-14 before wrapping up the contest by racing through the second game 21-6 to boost her own chances of progression.

“I haven’t played at all over the last three weeks as I’m recovering from a right Achilles injury,” Nehwal admitted afterwards.

“I didn’t have much of a chance today, Nozomi was everywhere; she was much quicker and I was a bit late in reaching for the shuttle.

“The slow conditions favour her style too.”

Spain's orld number one Carolina Marin, named BWF Female Player of the Year earlier this week, had no trouble recording her first win of the event, overcoming Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying 21-16, 21-9.

Group B began with two thrilling matches as Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon fought back from a game down to defeat South Korea’s Sung Ji Hyun 19-21, 23-21, 21-14.

In an all-Chinese battle Yihan Wang held off the challenge of Shixian Wang to emerge as a 21-19, 13-21, 21-13 winner.

Chen Long enjoyed a straight games victory over his compatriot Tian Houwei ©Getty Images

Men’s world number one Chen Long of China and Denmark’s Jan Ø. Jørgensen began their Group A campaigns with comfortable straight games wins over China’s Tian Houwei and Hong Kong’s Hu Yun,

Japan’s Kento Momota defeated India’s K. Srikanth 21-13, 21-13 in Group B, with the second match in the group seeing Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen beat Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen 21-8, 21-16.

The mixed doubles competition startedwith a surprise result as defending champions Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei of China were beaten 21-15, 21-12 in their Group A opener to Hong Kong's Lee Chun Hei and Chau Hoi Wah.

A thrilling victory for South Korea’s Ko Sung Hyun and Kim Ha Na proved to be the highlight in Group B, the duo saving three match points before beating Denmark’s Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen 19-21, 21-19, 24-22.

Another entertaining contest saw China’s Chai Biao and Hong Wei fend off the challenge of South Korea’s Kim Gi Jung and Kim Sa Rang in the men’s doubles, the pair eventually emerging as 21-15, 12,21 24-22 winners.

The highlight of the women’s doubles saw world champions Zhao Yunlei and Tian Qing of China come back to beat Denmark’s Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl 16-21, 21-7, 22-20.