It was an evening of reality-check for the two Indians in the fray.
And, Parupalli Kashyap and Pusarla Venkata Sindhu failed to get through, signalling the end of the Indian challenge in the India Open Grand Prix badminton championship at the KVBR Indoor Stadium here on Saturday.
First, fifth-seeded Ratnasari Frarnsiska ended the fine run of the unseeded Sindhu with a 17-21, 21-17, 21-15 win in the women's singles quarterfinals.
And in the last match of the evening, to the dismay of the large crowd, it was the turn of third-seeded Kashyap to go down to top-seeded Rumbaka Hayom Dionysius of Indonesia 19-21, 13-21 in the men's quarterfinals.
Stunning returns
The Indonesian not only matched Kashyap's big smashes but also came up with some stunning returns and as the game progressed combined his aggression with the delicate touch at the net. A vastly superior net game came in handy for him the few times the Indian threatened to come back into the game.
With Rumbaka taking a 6-2 lead straightaway in the first game, it turned out to be difficult for the hometown hero to make amends. Kashyap did essay some of his trademark shots, but it became increasingly obvious that he had to raise the level of his game. And that did not happen. If a turnaround was expected by the Indian camp in the second game, Rumbaka had other ideas.
Looking slightly relaxed to start with, he switched gears to literally dictate terms to Kashyap.
Earlier, Sindhu, playing her maiden Grand Prix semifinal in front of home crowd and family members, never really gave the impression of being a first-timer in a match of this significance.
Using her height and reach, she took the first set. But, Ratnasari changed tactics and pushed Sindhu around and denied her the chance to play her big smashes.
In the mixed doubles too, the Indian challenge was over, when Peixuan Liu and Tang Jinhua of China defeated Kona Tarun and Ashwini Ponappa 21-12, 21-18 in the quarterfinal.
The results:
All semifinals:
Men's singles: Avihingsanon Suppanyu (Tha) bt Yunus Alamsyah (Ina) 21-14, 23-21; Rumbaka Hayom Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka (Ina) bt P Kashyap (Ind) 21-19, 21-13.
Men's doubles: Teik Chai Gan & Bin Shen Tan (Mas) bt Agripinna Prima Rahamanto Putra & Ricky Karanda Suwardi (Ina) 21-23, 21-12, 21-9; Mohd Ahsan & Bona Septani (Ina) bt Chayut Triyachart & Hendri Kurniawan Saputra (Sing) 21-18, 25-27, 21-13.
Women: Singles: Hui Zhou (Chn) bt Ana Rovita (Ina) 15-21, 21-14, 21-14; Ratnasari Fransiska (Ina) bt P.V. Sindhu 17-21, 21-17, 21-15.
Doubles: Hui Ern Ng & Hui Lin Ng (Mas) bt Della Destiara Haris & Andini Suci Rizki (Ina) 21-14, 21-19; Xia Huan & Jinhua Tant (Chn) bt Anneke Feinya Agustin & Annisa Wahyuni (Ina) 13-21, 21-18, 21-12
Mixed doubles: Teik Chai Gan & Ng Hui Lin (Mas) bt Chayut Triyachart & Yu Yan Vanessa Neo (Sin) 21-17, 21-17; Liu Peixuan & Jinhua Tan (Chn) bt Kona Tarun & Ashwini Ponnappa (Ind) 21-12, 21-18.
