India’s P.C. Thulasi, seeded fifth, was taken to three games by Thailand youngster Chochuwong Pornpawee before winning their quarterfinal encounter in the Tata Open badminton India international challenge series at the Cricket Club of India courts.
Pornpawee had earlier stunned the women’s singles top seed Simone Prutsch 22-20, 21-18 in 35 minutes. Ranked 479 in the world, the 14-year-old kept pace with her higher-ranked rival initially, and then gained confidence against the 72nd-ranked Germany-born Austrian.
Thulasi had worked hard on court earlier for a 15-21, 21-15, 21-8 pre-quarterfinal victory over Indonesian Renna Suwarno, ranked 132, in a tie lasting 50 minutes.
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K. Srikanth, R.M.V. Guru Sai Dutt, Aditya Prakash and Sai Praneeth won their quarterfinal matches on Friday to ensure an Indian presence in the men’s singles draw.
The results (Indians unless specified): Women: Quarterfinals: P.C. Thulasi bt Chochuwong Pornpawee (Tha) 20-22, 21-14, 21-19; Wan Yi Tang (Tpe) bt Mudra Dhainje 21-14, 21-6; Febby Angguni (Ina) bt Purwaningtyas Elyzabeth (Ina) 21-9, 21-9; Kim Hyo Min ( Kor) bt Yeni Asmarani (Ina) 21-10, 21-12.
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Men: Quarterfinals: K. Srikanth bt Sheng-Jie Yang (Tpe) 21-19, 20-22, 21-9; Sai Praneeth bt Teck Zhi Soo (Mas) 21-11, 21-19; Aditya Prakash bt Zi Liang Derek Wong (Sin) 21-10, 21-11; R.M.V. Guru Sai Dutt bt Ha Young Woong (Kor) 21-7, 21-9.
Pre-quarterfinals: Yang bt Yim Jong Woo (Kor) 22-20, 17-21, 21-14; Srikanth bt Rohit Yadav 24-22, 20-22, 21-15; Sai Praneeth bt Sukamta Evert (Ina) 21-17, 21-16; Teck bt Park Sung Min (Kor) 21-19, 21-13; Aditya bt Giap Chin Goh (Mas) 21-16, 21-17; Zi Liang bt Abhimanyu Singh 21-16, 19-21, 21-13; Ha bt Wei Sheng Loh (Mas) 17-21, 21-17, 21-7; Guru Sai bt Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub (Mas) 21-17, 21-8.