Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal advanced to the quarterfinals of the Syed Modi International World Super Tour 300, as did defending champion Sameer Verma and Parupalli Kashyap with contrasting victories in Lucknow on Thursday.
A three-time champion at the tournament, Saina defeated Amolika Singh Sisodiya 21-14, 21-9, while the 2012 and 2015 winner Kashyap came back from being a game down to surpass Indonesia’s Firman Abdul Kholik 9-21, 22-20, 21-8 advance into the quarters.
Third seed Sameer defeat Zhao Junpeng of China 22-20, 21-17 in his third round match and will next face Zhou Zeqi from the same country.
Seeded second in the competition, Saina will next face the eight seeded compatriots Rituparna Das, who beat another Indian Shruti Mundada 21-11, 21-15 in a lop-sided clash.
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Kashyap, who rallied hard to beat Abdul Kohlik of Indonesia in the third round will next face Thailand’s eight seeded Sitthikom Thammasin.
Meanwhile, in the other match at the men’s singles event, B Sai Praneeth overcame Indonesia’s Shesar Hiren Rhustavito 21-12 21-10 and will next face Lu Guangzu. The Chinese shuttler beat Saarlorlux champion Subhankar Dey 21-13 21-10.
In women’s singles, Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka also progressed with a 1-12 21-15 win over compatriot Reshma Karthik. She faces former Olympic champion Li Xuerui in the next round.
The mix-doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa also entered the last eight by defeating compatriots Shivam Sharma and Poorvisha S Ram 12-21 21-14 21-15 in a marathon match.