K. Srikanth and B. Sai Praneeth eked out thrilling victories in the men’s singles second round to set up an all-Indian quarterfinal clash at the $750,000 Australian Superseries here on Thursday.
Srikanth, who had edged out Son Wan Ho in the semifinals of Indonesia Open last week, again had an upper hand against the World No. 1 Korean, beating him 15-21, 21-13, 21-13 in a 57-minute clash.
In another match, Sai Praneeth staved off a challenge from China’s Huang Yuxiang before winning 21-15, 18-21, 21-13 in a match that lasted 64 minutes.
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Interestingly, Srikanth and Praneeth had clashed in the final of Singapore Open in April with the latter emerging victorious.
On a profitable day for India, fifth seed P.V. Sindhu and Saina Nehwal advanced to the last eight in the women’s singles.
Olympic silver medallist Sindhu posted a 21-13, 21-18 victory over China’s Chen Xiaoxin in 46 minutes, while defending champion Saina dropped a game before getting past Malaysia’s Soniia Cheah 21-15, 20-22, 21-14 in a tussle that lasted 62 minutes.
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In women’s doubles, Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy fought well before suffering a 18-21, 21-18, 21-13 loss to seventh-seeded Japanese pair of Shiho Tanaka and Koharu Yonemoto.
The men’s pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a 21-16, 21-18 loss to eighth-seeded Chinese Taipei’s Chen Hung Ling and Wang Chi-Lin.
The results (second round): Men: K. Srikanth bt Son Wan Ho (Kor) 15-21, 21-13, 21-13; Sai Praneeth bt Huang Yuxiang (Chn) 21-15, 18-21, 21-13. Doubles: Chen Hung Ling & Wang Chi-Lin (Tpe) bt Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty 21-16, 21-18.
Women: P.V. Sindhu bt Chen Xiaoxin (Chn) 21-13, 21-18; Saina Nehwal bt Soniia Cheah (Mas) 21-15, 20-22, 21-14. Doubles: Shiho Tanaka & Koharu Yonemoto (Jpn) bt Ashwini Ponnappa & N. Sikki Reddy 18-21, 21-18, 21-13 .