Thailand Open | Saina Nehwal and Sai Praneeth book semi-final berths

Saina started the second game just as she had in the first one winning two points on the spin but the Japanese was in no mood to let the Indian run away with the second game. The players never let the other extend their lead by more than one and at the mid-game interval, it was the Indian who held a slender lead. With the score at 15-15, it was Japanese who took the initiative and took a two point lead but it was short-lived as the Indian leveled things up at 17 all. With no player ready to give an inch, it was Saina who brought up match point at 20-19 but it was Suzuki who won three consecutive points to level the match at a game apiece.

In the decider, the duo split the first six points before Saina raced to a 9-6 lead. However, the Japanese was not going to go down without a fight and brought the game back to within a point before Saina won the next three points in a row to regain her lead. The Japanese tried to stay in the game till 15-11 before Saina won the last six in a row to outclass her opponent and book a place in tomorrow's semi-final against Thai youngster Busanan Ongbumrungpan.