Sindhu survives Cheung test, Srikanth wins

New Delhi: P.V. Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth advanced to the quarter-finals of the world badminton championships in Glasgow on Thursday.

Rio Olympics silver medallist Sindhu was tested by Hong Kong’s Cheung Nagan Yi but won 19-21, 23-21, 21-17 in an hour and 27 minutes. After losing the first game narrowly, Sindhu led 4-2 in the second but then trailed 13-15.

After forcing the match into the deciding game, she kept the pressure on her opponent, leading 5-1 and then 11-4.

It was Sindhu’s fourth win over Cheung.

Sindhu will play China’s fifth seed Sun Yu in the quarters. Sun survived a three-game thriller to beat Spain’s Beatriz Corrales, 21-11,19-21, 23-21.

Earlier in the day, Kidambi Srikanth reached the men’s singles quarters beating Anders Antonsen of Denmark 21-14, 21-18.

He next plays either top seed Son Wan Ho of South Korea or 11th seed Tanongsak Saensomboo-nsuk of Thailand.

Ajay Jayaram saw off the Netherlands’ Mark Caljouw in straight games to advance to the pre-quarter-finals. Jayaram, seeded 13th, produced a clinical show to get past world no. 50 Caljouw 21-13, 21-18 in a 33-minute men’s singles match. The world no. 17 will now take on two-time defending champion China’s Chen Long. 

Lin Dan in cruise mode
Five-time winner Lin Dan fought back from one set down to defeat England’s Rajiv Ouseph to reach the last eight. Lin, 33, also a twice Olympic champion, dropped the first set 14-21 before winning the next two 21-17, 21-16.

Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi suffered a shock exit as Chinese youngster Chen Yufei defeated the top seed in the third round.

The 19-year-old world junior champion, seeded ninth, claimed the best win of her career 21-18, 21-19 in 52 minutes.

“I am so excited,” she said. “This was one of my big goals this year, to beat Akane.”