Basel:
Two-time champion Saina Nehwal and HS Prannoy progressed to the quarter-finals after registering straight-game victories but PV Sindhu’s campaign ended today at the USD 120,000 Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament.
Two-time World Championship bronze medallist Sindhu’s campaign came to an end after after the world number 12 lost 13-21 15-21 to He Bingjiao of China in women’s singles quarterfinals. The world number 25th Chinese took 32 minutes to saw off the Indian.
Earlier last night, Olympic bronze medallist Saina saw off Kristina Gavnholt, world number 41 from Czech Republic, 21-18 21-17 in a 34-minute pre-quarterfinal contest. The Indian will next take on seventh seed Japanese Sayaka Sato.
Prannoy, seeded 13th, also prevailed over 2010 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Rajiv Ouseph of England, seeded sixth, 21-13 21-18 to set up a clash with 16th seed Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand in men’s singles.
Sixth seed PV Sindhu, who also reached the quarterfinals, will meet China’s He Bingjiao next.
