Korea Open | Parupalli Kashyap triumphs over Jan O Jorgensen to reach semis
Indian shuttler Parupalli Kashyap has advanced to the semi-finals of the Korea Open in Incheon on Friday after defeating Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark in straight games. The first game was neck-to-neck with the Dane squandering two game points to lose but Kashyap won the second game convincingly.
Indian shuttler Parupalli Kashyap qualified for the men’s singles semi-finals of the Korea Open Super 500 badminton tournament in Incheon on Friday by outsmarting Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark in straight games 24-22, 21-8. The 33-year-old will now face world champion Kento Momota who beat Lee Zii Jia in the quarterfinals. The 2014 Commonwealth Games gold-medallist is the only Indian remaining in the tournament and he put in a brilliant effort on Friday.
Both the players remained neck-to-neck for most of the first game. Jorgensen seemed set to take the opener after leading 11-8 at the mid-game interval but Kashyap came back strong. The Danish player even had two game points but he squandered them eventually losing the set.
The second set started off with both players on equal footing for a while, before Kashyap won five straight points to comfortably to seal his semi-final berth.
It has been an incredible run by the Indian after being promoted into the main draw from the qualifiers. He will have his task cut out against world No 1 Kenta Momota in the semi-finals who holds a 2-0 head-to-head record against him.
This is Kashyap's second semi-final of the season. He had reached the last four of the India Open Super 500 tournament. Kashyap previously defeated Malaysia's Daren Liew 21-17 11-21 21-12 in a gruelling contest in the previous round to enter the quarterfinals.