Hylo Open: Sindhu, Lakshya advance to quarterfinals; Isharani, Malvika exit
PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen advanced to the quarter-finals of the Hylo Open Super 500 badminton tournament on Thursday, while compatriots Malvika Bansod and Isharani Baruah bowed out after straight-game defeats in Saarbrucken, Germany.
Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu made light work of France’s Rosy Oktavia Pancasari, winning 21-9, 21-6 in just 26 minutes in the women’s singles second round. The second seed dominated from the outset, winning 42 of the 57 points played to seal a comfortable victory.
Sindhu has carried her form from the French Open, where she finished runner-up, into Germany. After beating Prakriti Bharath in the opening round, the former world champion will face Amalie Schulz in the quarter-finals.
Lakshya Sen had to work harder to book his place in the last eight. The Indian defeated compatriot Kiran George 21-15, 18-21, 21-12 in a 54-minute contest.
Sen took the opening game, but George fought back to win the second and force a decider. Sen, however, raised his level in the final game, pulling away to complete the victory and keep his campaign on track.
Sen will next face the winner of the match between Croatia’s Aria Dinata and Finland’s Kalle Koljonen.
MALVIKA, ISHARANI BOW OUT
Malvika Bansod could not find a way past Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang, losing 11-21, 17-21 in 31 minutes.
Malvika struggled in the opening game but showed greater resistance in the second. She was unable to turn that fightback into a deciding game, however, as Zhang wrapped up the contest in straight games.
Isharani Baruah also suffered a straight-game defeat, going down 14-21, 19-21 to Denmark’s eighth seed Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt in 39 minutes.
Isharani had a tough opening game but pushed her opponent harder in the second. Kjaersfeldt, though, held on in the closing stages to seal her place in the quarter-finals.
UNNATI HOODA, ANMOL KHARB NEXT IN ACTION
India’s campaign in the women’s singles draw could see further progress, with sixth seed Unnati Hooda scheduled to take on Denmark’s Frederikke Ostergaard. Anmol Kharb will face another Danish opponent, third seed Line Christophersen.
– Ends
