Badminton Asia Championship | Saina, Sindhu, Srikanth advances to last eight as Sai Praneeth bows out
Both Commonwealth Games gold and silver medalists Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu won their respective games to book a place into the last eight stage in the Badminton Asia Championship. In Men’s singles, Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy progressed while B Sai Praneeth lost against third-seeded Chen Long.
Saina Nehwal extended her winning streak into the pre-quarters of the Badminton Asian Championship on Thursday as she defeated China's Gao Fangjie 21-18 21-8 in a tight match that lasted 40 minutes. She will next face former World Number one Korean Lee Jang Mi, who beat Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon. Olympics silver medalist Sindhu also had a tricky match against Chinese Chen Xiaoxin, whom she managed to overcome with 21-12, 21-15 win, setting up a potential quarter-final clash against Korea’s Sung Ji Hyun or Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan.
Quite interestingly, Kidambi Srikanth will yet again face three-time Olympic silver medalist Lee Chong Wei in the quarter-final, against whom he lost in the CWG Singles Gold Medal event. However, Srikanth would stay extra fresh after his opponent, Hong Kong's Wong Wing Ki Vincent, retired with the points at 2-7 in the first game.Â
World Number 10 Prannoy has come back to winning ways after missing out on a medal at the Commonwealth Games, as he defeated Chinese Taipei's Wang Tzu Wei 16-21 21-14 21-12. He will meet second-seeded Son Wan Ho of Korea. Singapore Open champion B Sai Praneeth, however, failed to progress to the quarters as he was humbled 12-21 12-21 by Olympic champion Chen Long.
In the doubles pairs, India failed to progress in both men’s and women’s event. While Arjun MR and Ramchandran Shlok lost to Chinese combination of Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen 11-21 19-21, the pair of Meghana Jakkapudi and Poorvisha S Ram was beaten 9-21 9-21 by Thailand’s Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajong.
