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PV Sindhu and the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty progressed to the quarter-finals at the Badminton Asia Championships in Manila, Philippines on Thursday.
However, Saina Nehwal, Kidambi Srikanth and the young mixed-doubles combination of Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto went down fighting in the second round of the continental championships.
Fourth seed PV Sindhu entered the women's singles quarter-finals after ousting lowly-ranked Yue Yann Jaslyn Hooi from Singapore in straight games. World No. 7 Sindhu, who won bronze in the 2014 Gimcheon edition, trounced Jaslyn Hooi 21-16, 21-16 in 42 minutes.
Double Olympic medalist Sindhu did not have to stretch much to get the better of World No. 100 Singaporean. Sindhu, who edged past Chinese Taipei’s Pai Yu Po 18-21, 27-25, 21-9 in their first-round encounter that lasted an hour and 17 minutes, was always in control against Hooi.
Tough task ahead for Sindhu in quarters
Sindhu set up a clash with third seed Chinese He Bing Jiao for a spot in the semi-finals. The tall Hyderabadi previously beat Bing Jiao in a bronze medal play-off match at the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021. Sindhu has a 7-9 head-to-head record against Bing Jiao.
Chirag and Satwik beat the Japanese pair in straight games
Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy also made it to the quarters with a straight-game win in the second round. The third-seeded Indian duo produced a brilliant performance to sail into the last eight with a 21-17, 21-15 win over the Japanese duo of Akira Koga and Taichi Saito.
Shetty and Rankireddy will now clash with the fifth-seeded Malaysian duo of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.
Saina Nehwal loses to Wang Zhi Yi of China in 3 games
After a promising start on Wednesday, Saina Nehwal could not extend her fine form on Thursday.
Saina squandered a flying start and lost to Wang Zhi Yi of China in three games. She went down fighting 21-12, 7-21, 13-21 to her 22-year-old opponent. For the seventh tournament in a row, Saina, who is on a comeback trail after recovering from some nagging injuries, lost in the second round.
In another close defeat for the Indian camp, seventh seed Kidambi Srikanth lost to Weng Hong Yang of China 16-21, 21-17, 17-21 in 77 minutes.
The talented mixed-doubles pair of Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto put up a tough fight against Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing of Malaysia before losing 18-21, 18-21 in the second round.
Indian Results (Round 2)
Men’s singles
7- Kidambi Srikanth lost to Weng Hong Yang (China) 16-21, 21-17, 17-21 (77 minutes)
Women’s singles
4- PV Sindhu bt Yue Yann Jaslyn Hooi (Singapore) 21-16, 21-16 (42 minutes)
Saina Nehwal lost to Wang Zhi Yi (China) 21-12, 7-21, 13-21 (47 minutes)
Men’s doubles
3- Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty bt Akira Koga-Taichi Saito (Japan) 21-17, 21-15 (43 minutes)
Mixed doubles
Ishaan Bhatnagar-Tanisha Crasto lost to 7-Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing (Malaysia) 18-21, 18-21 (30 minutes).
