India’s leading player Sharath Kamal overcame a sluggish start to beat Portugal’s Tiago Apolonia in the men’s singles second round, while the women challenge ended with Manika Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee losing to their superior opponents here on Monday.

Sharath, 39, struggled in the first game but pulled himself up just in time to win 2-11, 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9 in 49 minutes.