Saina loses in French Open final

India's top-seeded Saina Nehwal suffered a shocking loss to unseeded Japanese Minatsu Mitani in the women's singles final of the French Open Super Series badminton championship at the Stade Pierre De Coubertin here Sunday.

Saina, bronze medallist at London, went down 19-21, 11-21 to Mitani in the title clash that lasted 39 minutes.

The Indian, in the first game, went down in a close battle but ran out of steam in the second game.

In the second game, Saina was leading 9-8. But from there on the World No.26 Japanese dominated the proceedings and stole seven points to open up a 15-9 lead. It was a mountain to climb for the Indian and she ran out of ideas.