London, Jul 29: Saina Nehwal started off her London Olympics 2012 campaign on a high by easing to a 21-9, 21-4 victory over Switzerland's Sabrina Jaquet in her group stage match of the women's singles at the Wembley Arena here on Sunday.

Saina needed just 22 minutes to kick off her Olympic campaign in great style. She is in Group E and will now play Lianne Tan of Belgium on Monday.

Earlier, Saina began in great fashion by taking the first game 21-9 over her Jaquet.

It took just 12 minutes for Saina to ease past her unseeded opponent.

Earlier updates

India's major medal hope, Saina Nehwal will soon get on to the badminton court number 2 at the Wembley Arena in the London Olympics 2012 here on Sunday.

The 22-year-old is facing Switzerland's Sabrina Jaquet. Saina is seeded fourth while her opponent is unseeded.

Meanwhile, Indian pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju lost their second straight match in mixed doubles. They lost to Denmark's Thomas Laybourn and Julh Kamilla Rytter 12-21, 16-21. Jwala and Diju have now crashed out.

This is Saina's second Olympics. In Beijing Games in 2008, she bowed out in the quarter-finals. She had lost to Maria Kristin Yulianti of Indonesia as an 18-year-old.

Saina, the world number five, feels the draw is "tough".

"The draw looks quite tough. I've played them before and they have given me a tough challenge. I expect good matches and I will take one match at a time," Saina told IANS news agency.

"I have developed as a player. This is my second Olympics and I am more experienced now and I know how to relax. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself," she added.

The women's singles will be played on league basis first. There are 16 groups with three players each in one group. The topper from each group will enter the round of 16, which is knockout format.

Saina is in Group E along with Jaquet and Lianne Tan of Belgium.

Jaquet had lost her first match to Tan by 16-21m 16-21 scores.

Saina's final preliminary match against Tan is on Monday.

OneIndia News