Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy lose in quarters

New Delhi: Kidambi Srikanth and H.S. Prannoy were beaten in the quarter-finals while Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N. Sikki Reddy advanced to the mixed doubles semi-finals of the Japan Open Super Series in Tokyo on Friday. The 25-year-old Srikanth went down 17-21, 17-21 to world no. 2 and world champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in 40 minutes.

Axelsen now has a 3-2 head-to-head lead over Srikanth, having won their last three duels. US Open champion Prannoy suffered a 15-21, 14-21 loss to China’s second seed Shi Yuqi in 45 minutes.

Pranaav and Sikki kept India’s flag flying, defeating Korea’s Seung Jae Seo and Kim Ha Na 21-18, 9-21, 21-19 to set up a clash with Japan’s Takuro Hoki and Sayaka Hirota.

World number one Son Wan-Ho overpowered two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan of China while newly crowned women’s world champion Nozomi Okuhara reached the women’s semi-finals.

South Korea’s Son beat the Chinese great with a hard-fought 21-15, 21-15 victory and now faces Axelsen in the semis. Defending champion Lee Chong Wei squeezed past fourth-seeded rising star Chou Tien-chen of Taipei 21-11, 15-21, 21-19.

The Malaysian, who has won the Japan Open six times, will face Shi in the other semi-final. In the women’s draw, Okuhara pleased home fans with a 21-16, 23-21 win against Beiwen Zhang, representing the USA.