Four Indian shuttlers in prequarters of Asian juniors meet
By IANSThursday, July 16, 2009
NEW DELHI - Indian shuttlers enjoyed another good day in office with four of them advancing to singles pre-quarterfinals in the Asian Junior badminton championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
B. Sumeeth Reddy and H.S. Prannoy made it to the pre-quarterfinals of boys singles while Rane Saili and N. Sikki Reddy advanced to girls singles pre-quarters.
Sumeeth took out 11th seed Huynh Vinh of Vietnam 21-15, 21-15 and then got the better of Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong 21-19, 21-16 in the thid round. He will meet seventh seed Thai Pisit Poodchalat in the pre-quarters.
Prannoy defeated Ouankhamchanh Phongthanom of Laos 21-10, 21-13 in the second round. He then saw off a stiff challemge from Korean Lee Sang Min 21-15, 22-20. He will face third seed Malaysian Zulkifli Zulfadli next.
Naqvi Eshan, however, lost to second seed Le Ha Anh 5-21, 19-21 in the second round.
In the girls section, Saili beat Nguyen Thi Mai Anh of Vietnam 21-14, 21-13 to move to the third round.
Sikki Reddy played with grit to overcome a fierce resistance from Korean Shin Seung Chan 12-21, 21-13, 21-18 in the second round. She will face Rovita Ana of Indonesia next.
P. C. Thulasi went down to Japanese Mitani Minatsu 7-21, 8-21 in the second round.
In the men’s doubles, Prannoy and Sumeeth defeated Vietnam’s Nguyen Khac Tuan and Bui Quang Tuan 21-11, 16-21, 21-12 to move into the second round.
In mixed doubles, Pranav Chopra and Sawant Prajakta prevailed over Korean Choi Seung Il and Yang Soo Youn 19-21, 21-17, 22-20 to reach the pre-quarterfinals. The pair will take on Pratama Angga and Haris Della Destiara of Indonesia.
K. Nanda Gopal and Ninan Megha Merin lost to Malaysian Ow Yao Han and Lai Pei Jing 15-21 11-21 in the first round.
