A lot is being expected from India's world-class shuttlers at the Asian Games, but the women began on the wrong foot with a 1-3 defeat to top seeds Japan in the quarter-finals of the team event at the GBK Sports Complex here yesterday. In the five-rubber encounter, the Indian eves were brushed aside in just four matches. PV Sindhu won 21-18, 21-19 against Akane Yamaguchi first-up after which N Sikki Reddy, who paired up with Arathi Sara, lost 15-21, 6-21 to Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota.

Saina Nehwal then went down 11-21, 25-23, 16-21 to Nozomi Okuhara to put India 1-2 behind. Then came what many felt was not a perfect move by the Indians. The second women's doubles pair of Sindhu and Ashwini Ponnappa, never looked to be in sync and went down 13-21, 12-21 to Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi.