Lucknow: Olympic quarterfinalist Parupalli Kashyap stormed into the quarterfinals of the men’s singles in the $120,000 Dr KL Garg-Syed Modi India GP Gold Championship here at the BBD UP Academy on Thursday. In a late match played here, the Indian star beat Thai Parinyawat Thongnuam 21-16, 21-17, to emerge as the strongest contender for the men’s singles title.
Earlier, India’s teen sensation and the second seed in the women’s singles PV Sindhu set the tone for the day’s proceeding with a breezy dash into the round of 16. The world No.23 hardly met any resistance as she trounced unseeded Victoria Na of Australia 21-9, 21-9 in a contest which barely lasted 18 minutes.
Later, after the match, Sindhu said, “I had never played against her (Victoria) before, but it was easy today.”
Though, Sindhu’s flying start failed to guarantee a smooth tiding for the other strong Indian challenger for the women’s title, the reigning National women champion Sayali Gokhale. The Pune-based shutter lost 21-15, 21-11 to the fifth-seed Aprilla Yuswandari of Indonesia. India’s G Shivani Ruthvika, who was performing well in the tournament till now, also went down to Thailand’s Nichaon Jindapon 21-4, 21-13.
Meanwhile, India’s RMV Gurusaidutt caused quite a flutter in the men’s singles, scoring a delectable win over Malaysia’s Mohammad Arif Abdul Latif, the seventh seed here. The 22-year-old Indian who had won the gold medal at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games, wrapped up the contest with a 21-10, 21-16 win over the Malaysian in 41 minutes.
“He (Latif) is a tricky player but I was prepared today. I trusted my fitness and I’m glad that it worked today,” said Gurusaidutt after the match.
Former world juniors bronze medalist HS Pronnoy also made it to the quarterfinals, beating Indonesia’s Siswanto 21-18, 21-12. The 20-year Indian shuttler who plays the quick, attacking game of the Pullela Gopichand school said, “Though I had to fight a little in the second game, it wasn’t that tough outing for me.”
However, the men’s third-seed, Indonesia’s Tommy Sugiarto was stretched to the decider against the home fans’ favourite, B Sai Praneeth, seeded 13 places behind his rival. Sai Praneeth was off the blocks quickly, clinching it 21-12, but the world No.26 rallied back in his trademark style to restore the hierarchy. Sugiarto dominated the ensuing two games, 21-12, 21-16, to storm into the round of eight.
In another men’s pre-quarterfinal match, Indonesia’s Alamsyah Yunus deated Korea’s Yim Jong Woo 21-17, 21-13, to move into the next stage.
In the mixed doubles, the Indonesian pair of Fran Kurianwan and Shendy Puspa Irawati beat the Indian duo of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Siki Reddy 21-9, 21-14.
The Indonesian pair of Berry Angriawan and Yohanes Rendy Sugiarto defeated the Indian duo of K Nandagopal and T Hema Nagendra Babu 21-14, 21-16. In the men's doubles, Ricky Karanda Suwardi and Muhammad Ulinnuha beat the Indian pair of Alwin Francis and V Diju 21-8, 21-11. In the women's doubles match, Shinta Mulia Sari and Lei Yao of Singapore thrashed the Indian duo of Yamini Sharma and Shraddha Srivastva 21-7, 21-6.
By Indian Sports News Network
