Wuhan (China): CWG gold medallist Saina Nehwal and silver medallist PV Sindhu produced dominating performances to progress to the women’s singles quarterfinals of Asia Badminton Championships here Thursday.
In the men’s segment top seed Kidambi Srikanth and World No.10 HS Prannoy also advanced to the last eight stage in contrasting fashion.
Saina continued her impressive run as she kept a tight leash on China’s Gao Fangjie, outwitting her 21-18, 21-8 in a 40-minute clash. The former World No.1 will now face unseeded Korean Lee Jang Mi, who saw off Thailand’s former World Champion Ratchanok Intanon 19-21, 21-17, 21-15.
Third seed Sindhu notched up a commanding 21-12, 21-15 win over another Chinese Chen Xiaoxin in another pre-quarterfinal match. Sindhu was her dominant self in both the games and the closest Chen could come to her rival was when she was down 10-12 in the second game. Otherwise, Sindhu always had a three-point lead.
Srikanth also did not have to break any sweat as his opponent Hong Kong’s Wong Wing Ki Vincent retired at when he was 7-2 down in the first game to hand over the quarterfinal spot to the Indian.
The 25-year-old from Guntur will face Friday three-time Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei. The Indian had beaten Lee en route to India’s gold medal at the mixed team championship of the Commonwealth Games but the legendary Malaysian was quick to exact revenge when he beat the Indian for the individual gold at Gold Coast.
Prannoy meanwhile, bounced back from a game down to eke out a difficult 16-21, 21-14, 21-12 win over Chinese Taipei’s Wang Tzu Wei.
Singapore Open champion B Sai Praneeth, however, went down 12-21, 12-21 to Olympic champion Chen Long, seeded third.
Young men’s doubles pair of Arjun MR and Ramchandran Shlok too found the going tough against the top seeded Chinese combination of Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen, losing 11-21, 19-21.
Press Trust of India
