Young Lakshya Sen thumped compatriot Sourabh Verma in straight games to enter the second round but it was curtains for Saina Nehwal at the Denmark Open Super 1000 tournament here on Wednesday. Lakshya, who had finished runners-up at Dutch Open last Sunday, dished out a superb performance to outclass national champion Verma 21-9, 21-7 in 26 minutes.

Sen to play Axelsen

Sen, 20, from Almora, who had failed to make the cut for the Sudirman Cup and Thomas Cup Final after losing his only match in the trials, is likely to clash with second seed and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark next. London Games bronze medallist Nehwal, who had retired midway through her first match at Uber Cup Final due to a groin injury, couldn’t match Japan’s World No. 20 Aya Ohori and lost 16-21, 14-21 in the opening round.