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PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth, Lakshya Sen and Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand stormed into the semi-finals at the 22nd Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Saturday.
PV Sindhu rallied back to edge past Goh Jin Wei of Malaysia 19-21, 21-14, 21-18 in a marathon match that lasted an hour and 17 minutes. It was a very shaky and unconvincing performance from top seed Sindhu.
Double Olympic medalist Sindhu won the second game 21-14 after losing the first game to Goh of Malaysia 19-21. World No. 60 Goh was returning Sindhu's smashes quite easily, hence Sindhu had to prolong the rallies. The 27-year-old needed an extra half-step in speed to counter Goh.
After both players shared their first two games, PV Sindhu, playing without much confidence, had a slender 11-10 lead in the decider.
Sindhu repeatedly missed easy put-away smashes, hitting the sidelines. For a change, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist looked a bundle of nerves but was still leading 15-12 at a crucial juncture in the third and final game.
PV Sindhu maintained her important lead and moved ahead 20-17. However, the gritty Malaysian saved a match point. Finally, the Indian shuttler converted her second match point to book her place in the last-four stage.
PV Sindhu to face Jia Min Yeo of Singapore in semis
World No. 7 PV Sindhu will clash with Jia Min Yeo of Singapore for a spot in the final on Sunday. Sindhu will have to perform better to get past world No. 18 Jia Min Yeo.
The Singaporean player is capable of causing an upset, having beaten some of the top players in the world in the last couple of years.
Scotland's second-seed Kirsty Gilmour ousts Aakarshi Kashyap
Aakarshi Kashyap found second-seed Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland too hot to handle and lost 10-21, 7-21 in 31 minutes. The Scottish player dominated the match from the word go. The 20-year-old Aakarshi did reasonably well in the first game but lost steam as the match progressed.
Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya Sen earn straight-game wins in the quarters
India’s premier men's singles players Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth recorded straight-game victories over their respective rivals to enter the semis.
World No. 10 Lakshya outclassed Julien Georges Paul of Mauritius 21-11, 21-12 in a one-sided outing. Lakshya Sen will clash with Jia Heng Teh of Singapore in the semis.
World Championships silver medalist Kidambi Srikanth overcame a rusty start to dismiss Toby Penty of England 21-19, 21-17. Former world No. 1 Srikanth will take on Ng Tze Yong of Malaysia in the semis on Sunday, in a repeat of the team championships final match.
Ng Tze Yong shocked reigning world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in three games on Saturday.
Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand sail into the women's doubles semis
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand thrashed Tahlia Richardson and Ketherine Wynter of Jamaica 21-8, 21-6 in the women's doubles quarter-finals.
The teenage Indian pair are just a match away from winning a medal on their debut. Treesa and Gayatri will lock horns with Malaysia's Tan Koong Le Pearly and Thinaah Muralitharan in the semis on Sunday.
Indian Results (Quarter-finals)
Men’s singles
Lakshya Sen bt Julien Georges Paul (Mauritius) 21-11, 21-12 (32 minutes)
Kidambi Srikanth bt Toby Penty (England) 21-19, 21-17 (39 minutes)
Women’s singles
PV Sindhu bt Goh Jin Wei (Malaysia) 19-21, 21-14, 21-18 (77 minutes)
Aakarshi Kashyap lost to 2-Kirsty Gilmour (Scotland) 10-21, 7-21 (31 minutes)
Women’s doubles
Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand Pullela bt Tahlia Richardson-Ketherine Wynter (Jamaica) 21-8, 21-6 (23 minutes).
Men’s doubles
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty vs Jacob Schueler-Nathan Tang (Australia).
