Sindhu, Sameer in Korea Open last-8, Kashyap out
PV Sindhu and Sameer Verma advanced to the quarterfinals with straight-game wins but Parupalli Kashyap bowed out of the $600,000 Korea Open following a narrow defeat in the second round.
Olympic silver-medallist Sindhu saw off Thailand’s Nitchaon Jindapol 22-20, 21-17 to set up a clash with Japan’s Minatsu Mitani.
Hong Kong Super Series finalist and Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold winner, Sameer defeated Hong Kong’s Wong Wing Ki Vincent 21-19, 21-13 in 41 minutes and will next face local favourite Son Wan Ho.
Son Wan had to dig deep to end Kashyap’s run in men’s singles. He battled for an hour and 16 minutes before getting the better of the Indian 21-16 ,17-21 ,21-16 to reach the last-eight stage.
World No 4 Sindhu, had to battle hard in the opening game with world No 16 Jindapol managing to grab a 9-7 and 13-10 lead but the Indian broke off at 14-16 with six straight points. The Thai shuttler drew parity before Sindhu closed the issue.
The second game was also close with both shuttlers locked in a duel initially till 8-8. Sindhu moved ahead and grabbed a 12-9 lead and even though Jindapol managed to claw back at 15-15. Sindhu ensured that she has the last laugh.
Top Indian woman boxer MC Mary Kom says coach Stephane Cottalorda’s resignation has left her shocked and she would try to convince him to reconsider. Cottalorda, India’s first foreign coach for women boxers, resigned within a month of taking over, complaining of delay in salary payment and lack of professionalism in the national federation.
“It is very disappointing and I am quite shocked. Speaking as an athlete, I can only say that he had been an excellent addition to the camp,” said five-time world champion Mary Kom.
Hero MotoSports Team Rally, formed in 2016, is looking to step up their challenge at next year’s Dakar. Keeping that in mind, the Indo-German team (partnership between Hero MotoCorp Ltd. and German offroad racing specialists Speedbrain GmbH) has roped in Spanish rider Oriol Mena Valdearcos to ride alongside Indian star CS Santosh and Portuguese ace Joaquim ‘J-Rod’ Rodrigues.
Valdearcos, a former world junior Enduro champion has already started training with the team to prepare for the 2018 Dakar Rally.