Sindhu, however, left it very late before starting to produce. Playing against Deng, the Indian shuttler saw herself trail 1-4 initially. However, she levelled things at 9-9 and 10-10 before taking the lead at the break. However, that was the last of showing from Deng. From 15-11, Sindhu won six straight points to win the first game 21-11. The second game was expected to be a bit closer with Deng showing perseverance but it, at the most, delayed the outcome. Sindhu won it 21-13. 

The clash between B Sai Praneeth and Sameer Verma was expected to go down to the wire and so it did as Verma started proceedings by winning the first game. Praneeth looked comfortable against his compatriot before Sameer levelled things at 15-15 before going on to win four straight points. Though Praneeth pulled three points back Sameer ended the first game 21-18.

HS Prannoy had a tricky task against Denmark’s Jan O Jorgensen and he had to take the harder route for it. Almost all the games went close and deep. After Prannoy won the first one 21-19, he was stretched right till 20-22 by the Danish, who didn’t give up. But, the Indian showed real character to turn up for the decider after coming so close in the second game. He won the third game 21-17. However, he faces yet another Danish opponent in the quarter-final in Viktor Axelsen and he won’t be this easy.