GUANGZHOU: India justified their pre-tournament tag of strong favourites to gain promotion to the second tier with a 5-0 hammering of Ukraine in the Sudirman Cup on Tuesday.

Not many were at the Guangzhou Gymnasium, in southern China, to see the comprehensive win, but that will hardly matter to the Indian side, who won their first match here, against Australia on Monday, 4-1.

In what was an impressive all-round display over the five rubbers, Saina Nehwal was particularly dominant for India in the women's singles, seeing off Mariya Diptan 21-18, 21-9 in just 22 minutes.

India's third and final game in group 3B is against Scotland on Wednesday.

The Scots lost 3-2 to Ukraine on Monday at the world mixed team championships, which run until Sunday.