Sameer Verma and P.V. Sindhu earned hard-fought wins to advance to the singles semifinals of the Badminton Asia youth under-19 championships at the U.P. Badminton Academy courts, Gomti Nagar, here on Thursday.
Verma, the younger brother of top shuttler Sourabh Verma, held his nerve to edge past Kai Guo of China 21-19, 12-21, 21-15 after a 47-minute duel.
The Indian showed his big heart and good court craft as he played long rallies on his way to making the boys' singles semifinals.
The top-ranked junior player thumped his fist and looked heavenwards after Guo hit wide to concede the match point.
Fourth-seeded P.V. Sindhu displayed her endurance and tremendous fighting spirit to get the better of another Chinese, Yu Zheng, 22-20, 11-21, 21-12 to reach the last four in the girls' singles. Sindhu came from behind to win the first game and found her rhythm and momentum in the decider against the tiring Chinese.
K. Srikanth and Pratul Joshi gave creditable performances before bowing out.
The results : Quarterfinals: Boys' singles : Kai Lu (Chn) bt K. Srikanth 26-24, 21-17; Zulfadli Zulkiffli (Mas) bt Pratul Joshi 21-15, 21-9; Kento Momota (Jpn) bt Angus Ng Ka Long (Hkg) 21-10, 19-21, 21-11; Sameer Verma bt Kai Guo (Chn) 21-19, 12-21, 21-15; Boys' doubles : Ee Yi Teo-Nelson Heg (Mas) bt Hei Tam Chun-Ching Chang Tak (Hkg) 21-17, 21-12; Yu Lin Chia-Jui Po Huang (Tpe) bt Apri N. Lukhi-Rizky Susanto (INA) 23-21, 21-17; Ronald Alexander-Selvanus Geh (Ina) bt Tiyani Pei-Zhoufu Chen (Chn) 21-17, 21-13; Yao Lu Ching-En Huang Chu (Tpe) bt Praveen Jor-Y. Rianto Rangga (Ina) 21-11, 19-21, 21-14.
Girls' singles : Xirui Hui (Chn) bt Sonia Cheah (Mas) 21-16, 21-12; P.V. Sindhu bt Yu Zheng (Chn) 22-20, 11-21, 21-12; Yu Sun (Chn) bt Panjarat Pransopon (Tha) 21-13, 21-16; Yaying Shen (Chn) bt Elisabeth Purwaningtyas (Ina) 21-13, 21-17.
Girls' doubles : Rizki A. Suci-Rosalia N. Tiara (Ina) bt Xiaohan Yuen-Yaqiong Huang (Chn) 22-20, 19-21, 21-17; Ayako Sakuramoto-Ayano Torii (Jpn) w/o Jia Xiao-Xi Zeng (Chn); Mei Kuan Chow-Yean Lee Meng (Mas) bt M. Phattanaphitoon-Panjarat Pransopon (Tha) 21-19, 21-19; Dongni Ou-Rui Xiong (Chn) bt K. Maneesha-P.V. Sindhu 21-8, 21-9.
Mixed doubles : Apri N. Lukhi & Ririn Amelia (Ina) bt Jui Huang Po-Jung Wu Ti (Tpe) 21-23, 21-19, 21-13; Tiyani Pei & Dongni Ou (Chn) bt B. Venkatesh & G. Ruthvika Shivani 21-11, 21-7; Praveen Jor & Rosalia N. Tiara (Ina) bt Nelson Heg & Mei Kuan Chow (Mas) 21-9, 23-21; Zhoufu Chen & Rui Xiong (Chn) Yao Lu Ching & Jou Chen Pai (Tpe) 21-13, 21-7.
Third round : Boys' singles : Kai Guo (Chn) bt Hei Tam Chun (Hkg) 21-15, 21-13; Kai Liu (Chn) bt Gifar Ramadhan Arief (Ina) 21-9, 23-21; Angus Ng Ka Long (Hkg) bt Riyanto Subagja (Ina) 17-21, 21-15, 21-11; Zulfadli Zulkiffli (Mas) bt Song Xue (Chn) 21-16, 23-21; Pratul Joshi bt Hiren R. Shesar (Ina) 21-14, 21-16; Sameer Verma bt Akbar S. Panji (Ina) 21-19, 19-21, 21-16; K. Srikanth bt Ven Soong Joo (Mas) 21-11, 21-9.
Boys' doubles : Ronald Alexander & Selvanus Geh (Ina) bt Kang Tai An & Enos Jani Sant (Mas) 21-11, 21-18; Tiyani Pei & Zhuofu Chen (Chn) bt Shivam Sharma & K. Sriteja 21-9, 21-8; Praveen Jor & Y. Rianto Rangga (Ina) bt T.H. Babu & K. Srikanth; Yu Lin Chia & Jui Huang Po (Tpe) bt Keiichiro Matsui & Takuto Inoue (Jpn) 21-18, 21-17; Ee Yi Teo & Nelson Heg (Mas) bt Junhui Liu & Kaiyi Guo (Chn) 21-13, 21-14; Hei Tam Chun & Ching Chang Tak (Hkg) bt Rohit Yadav & N.V.S. Vijetha 21-17, 18-21, 22-20.
Girls' singles : P.V. Sindhu bt Han Tan Wei (Sin) 21-15, 21-18; Yu Zheng (Chn) bt Huyen Le Thu (Vie) 21-10, 21-14; Xirui Hui (Chn) bt Gauri Ghate 21-9, 21-8; Elysabeth Purwaningtyas (Ina) bt Thao Pham (Vie) 21-10, 21-10.
Girls' doubles : Rizki Andini Suci & Rosalia Tiara (Ina) bt Achini Rathnasiri & Samanthika W. Upuli (Sri) 21-19, 24-22; K. Maneesha & P.V. Sindhu bt Joyce Choong & Jemie Lai Shevon (Mas) 21-12, 18-21, 21-13; Dongni Ou & Rui Xiaong (Chn) bt Han Tan Wei & Xiaoyu Liang (Sin) 21-5, 21-10; Xiaohan Yuen & Yaqiong Huang (Chn) bt C. Kititharakul & P. Arkonsakul (Tha) 23-21, 21-14; Jia Xiao & Jui Huang Po (Chn) bt Lian Yang Li & Sonia Cheah (Mas) 21-19, 21-13.
Mixed doubles : B. Venkatesh & G. Ruthvika Shivani bt Khosit Phetpradab & Puttita Supajirakul (Tha) 21-19, 22-20; Nelson Heg & Mei Kuan Chow (Mas) bt K. Srikanth & K. Maneesha 21-9, 21-9; Apri N. Lukhi & Ririn Amelia (Ina) bt K. Sriteja & D. Sudha Kalyani 21-15, 21-10.
