Indian shuttlers P.V. Sindhu and B. Sai Praneeth moved into the quarterfinals of the Japan Open after registering contrasting wins here on Thursday.
While fifth seed Sindhu had to toil hard in an hour-long battle to get the better of unseeded Japanese Aya Ohori 11-21, 21-10, 21-13 in the second round, Praneeth sailed past another local shuttler, Kanta Tsuneyama, 21-13, 21-16 in a encounter that lasted 45 minutes.
However, H.S. Prannoy, who knocked out compatriot K. Srikanth in the opening round, went down to Rasmus Gemke of Denmark 21-9, 21-15 in his second round match.
The win at the BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament on Thursday extended Sindhu’s head-to-head record to 8-0 over Ohori.
It was good news for India in the men’s doubles event as the pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made it to the quarterfinals after emerging victorious in a tough three-game second round affair in 53 minutes.
The Indian pair came from a game down to quell the challenge of China’s Kai Xiang Huang and Cheng Liu 15-21, 21-11, 21-19.
It was curtains in mixed doubles as Satwiksairaj and Ashwini Ponnappa lost 21-16, 21-17 to fourth seeds Dechapol Puavaranukkroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand.
The results(second round) : Men : B. Sai Praneeth bt Kanta Tsuneyama (Jpn) 21-13, 21-16; Rasmus Gemke (Den) bt H.S. Prannoy 21-9, 21-15.
Doubles : Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty bt Kai Xiang Huang and Cheng Liu (Chn) 15-21, 21-11, 21-19.
Women : P.V. Sindhu bt Aya Ohori (Jpn) 11-21, 21-10, 21-13
Mixed doubles: Dechapol Puavaranukkroh & Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) bt Satwiksairaj & Ashwini Ponnappa 21-16, 21-17 .
