Indian women make QFS
Saina Nehwal once again played a stellar role to lead the hosts into the quarter- finals of the Uber Cup with a 4- 1 win over Hong Kong at the Siri Fort Sports Complex here on Monday. For the men though, it was curtains following their 2- 3 defeat at the hands of Korea earlier in the day.
Defending champions China cruised into the last- 8 stage with convincing wins. While the men took a winning 4- 0 lead over Russia, the women routed England 5- 0.
Even minus the celebrated Lin Dan, the Chinese men were too good for the European side, as their singles stars including world no. 2 Chen Long came to the party in style.
Korea’s win over India meant they also made the knock- out phase from Group C. On Wednesday, Korea will meet Malaysia, while India play Germany in an inconsequential last league match.
Former champions Malaysia, led by world no. 1 Lee Chong Wei, also went through after they trounced Germany 4- 1 in the other Group C tie. For Germany, Lukas Schmidt saved the blushes for the side winning 22- 20, 21- 10 over Liew Daren.
Despite 4- 1 scorelines ( against India and Germany), Lee wanted Malaysia to win Wednesday’s match to finish on top in the group.
Earlier, Indonesia, the 13- time champions, crushed Hong Kong 5- 0 in a Group A tie, before Thailand opened their campaign with a convinc- ing 5- 0 win over Nigeria.
In the Uber Cup, Saina gave the hosts a positive start against Hong Kong, winning 21- 9, 21- 10 against Yip Pui Yin before Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa extended the lead.
P. V. Sindhu sealed the fate for India with a thumping 21- 8, 21- 10 victory over Cheung Ying Mei. Hong Kong stole one point back through Tsz Ka Chan and Ying Suet Tse in the second doubles.
Besides India, Thailand — who play hosts on the morrow — made the quarters from Group Y, with Porntip Buranaprasertsuk giving them a winning start against Canada. The rest carried the momentum on to a 5- 0 win.
Japan cruised to a dominating 5- 0 win over Germany while Denmark rallied from one point down to beat Malaysia 3- 2 in Group Z. On the day, the fate of the India men’s team hinged on the singles players. Team captain Parupalli Kashyap and R. M. V Gurusaidutt finished their jobs well with straight- sets wins over their opponents, but 18th ranked K. Srikanth faltered at crucial junctures.
Srikanth squandered a game advantage to lose to Won Ho Son 21- 17, 12- 21, 18- 21 in the first singles. At 17- 20 in the decider, Srikanth saved match point and had a chance to pull off the tie. But a “few mistakes” did him in.
With India down 0- 2, Kashyap pulled one back with a 21- 17, 21- 14 win over Lee Dong Keun in the second singles but the doubles pairs of Sumeeth Reddy B. and Manu Attri, Akshay Dewalkar and Pranaav Jerry Chopra lost as expected.
World no. 4 duo of Kim Sa Rang and Kim Ki Jung sealed the rubber for Korea with a 21- 16, 21- 16 win over Dewalkar and Chopra. Later, Gurusaidutt carved out a fighting 24- 22, 21- 13 victory over Soo Hwang Jong, but it was too little too late.