Sindhu, Srikanth, Krishna Priya are in quarterfinals
Lucknow, Jan. 26: Star India shuttlers P. V. Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth notched up comfortable victories but it was young Mumbai player Harsheel Dani who hogged the limelight at the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold when he stunned H. S. Prannoy in straight games to storm into the quarterfinals here on Thursday.
Olympic silver medallist Sindhu took just 20 minutes to brush aside compatriot Lalita Dahiya 21-7, 2112 to set up a clash with another Indian qualifier Vaidehi Choudhari, while defending champion Srikanth prevailed over fellow Indian Ansal Yadav 2115, 21-16 in a 38-minute clash. He will face seventh seed Malaysian Zulfadli Zulkiffli next.
The highlight of the day was, however, the shocking loss of Swiss Open champion Prannoy, who suffered a 18-21, 18-21 defeat at the hands of 20-year-old Harsheel, seeded 15th, who has been training at the Uday Pawar Academy in Mumbai.
In women’s singles, Polish Open winner Rituparna Das dispatched Russia’s Ksenia Polikarpova, eighth seed, 21-12, 21-19 to set up a clash with fourth seed Fitriani of Indonesia.
Another Indian Sri Krishna Priya Kudarvalli prevailed 23-21, 21-19 over Mugdha Agrey in another all-Indian clash to reach the quarters and will face Indonesian sixth seed Hanna Ramadini next. Among others, third seed Spaniard Beatriz Corrales, also reached the quarters.
In mixed doubles, Ashwini Ponnappa and B. Sumeeth Reddy defeated Rohan Kapoor and Sanjana Santosh 21-15, 21-18, while Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N. Sikki Reddy beat Ketan Chahal and Mohita Sahdev 21-6, 21-15 to reach the quarters.
In men’s doubles, World No. 22 Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy, who had played at the Rio Olympics, lost 15-21, 21-17, 17-21 to Malaysian combo of Mohamad Arif Abdul Latif and Khim Wah Lim.
In women’s doubles, Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy defeated compatriots Dimpal Hazarika and Sanghamitra Saikia 217, 21-10 and will meet second seeded Malaysian Mei Kuan Chow and Lee Meng Yean next.
Aparna Balan and Prajakta Sawant also made it to the quarters after a hard-fought win over Juhi Dewangan and Aakarshi Kashyap 21-13, 16-21, 21-11 in another match.