BWF China Open | PV Sindhu enters quarter-finals; Saina Nehwal, HS Prannoy bow out

11/17/2017

PV Sindhu has registered a win against China’s Han Yue to secure a berth in the quarter-finals of the China Open Super Series. However, Akane Yamaguchi beat Saina Nehwal and Lee Cheuk Yiu handed a defeat to HS Prannoy to end both players’ campaigns in Shanghai in their respective matches.

Now, second seed Sindhu is India's only hope in the tournament after progressing into the quarter-finals with a 21-15, 21-13 win over Han Yue on Thursday. This was the first meeting between the two players and the World No 2 edged ahead of the 17-year-old as the opening game progressed. Sindhu utilized her experience during the game as she dropped just five points while moving from 12-10 to 21-15.

During the second game, Sindhu sped ahead to 6-0 and extended her lead to 11-3 by the break. Han fought back to reach 9-12 but the Indian's five consecutive points were enough to give her a buffer to comfortably secure the game. Sindhu will face another Chinese opponent Gao Fangjie in the quarters on Friday to book her place in the semifinals.

Sindhu's win was the only positive on the day for India as earlier in the day fans saw the exits of Saina and Prannoy, who entered in this tournament after winning the men’s and women’s singles titles at the national badminton championships.

Saina was beaten by World No 4 Akane Yamaguchi 21-18, 21-11 and it was her fourth loss to the Japanese shuttler this year.

In the men’s singles, World No 11 HS Prannoy suffered an upset defeat to 53rd ranked Lee Cheuk Yiu of China in straight games 21-19, 21-17.