Tokyo, Sept 19:
Young Indian shuttlers K Srikanth and H S Prannoy advanced to the quarterfinals of men’s singles competition in the Japan Open with superb wins but it was curtains for teen sensation P V Sindhu at the USD 200,000 Super Series event here today.
World No 56 Prannoy, who has been in rollicking form in the Indian badminton League last month, once again punched above his weight, surpassing Denmark’s Jan O Jorgensen, ranked ninth, 21-14 13-21 21-17 in a 53-minute match.
Srikanth, who has also acquired a giant-killing reputation with his recent exploits, continued his carnage, defeating Japan’s Kazuteru Kozai 21-12 21-16 in just over half an hour in another men’s singles match.
However, it was end of the road for Sindhu as the eighth-seeded Indian lost 6-21 17-21 to local shuttler Akane Yamaguchi in a 32-minute women’s singles match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
India’s men’s doubles pair of Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy B also could not get across the more experienced combo of fourth seeded Chinese Xiaolong Liu and Zihan Qiu and lost 17-21 16-21 in a 36-minute encounter.
The highlight of the day for India was Prannoy’s gritty performance as he rode on his mighty smashes and energetic display at the nets to tame the 25-year-old Dane, who had won the silver medal at 2010 European Badminton Championships. (PTI)
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