Sindhu, Saina, Srikanth, Prannoy, Satwik, Ashwini in semis (Badminton Roundup)

Gold Coast April 13 (IANS) India s star singles shuttlers P.V. Sindhu Saina Nehwal Kidambi Srikanth and H.S. Prannoy advanced to the semi-finals while Ashwini Ponnappa and Satwik Rankireddy reached the semi-finals in both the doubles categories at the 21st Commonwealth Games here on Friday.

London Olympics bronze medallist Saina hardly broke sweat to clinch a 21-8 21-13 win over Canada s Rachel Honderich while Rio Olympics silver medallist Sindhu also notched up a comfortable 21-14 21-17 win over another Canadian Brittney Tam.

Saina will next face World No.18 Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland while Sindhu will take on Canadian Michelle Li for a place in the gold-medal match.

Gilmour progressed after India s Ruthvika Gadde retired hurt.

In the men s singles World No.1 Srikanth thrashed Singapore s Zin Rei Ryan 21-15 21-12 while Prannoy eased past Sri Lankan Dinuka Karunaratna 21-13 21-6 to set-up a clash against Lee Chong Wei. Srikanth will meet Rajiv Ouseph of England on Saturday at the Carrara Sports Arena here.

Ashwini and Satwik also enjoyed strong performances. They fought off Malaysian mixed doubles pair Soon Goh Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie with a 21-19 21-19 win to enter the final.

Ashwini and N. Sikki Reddy the lone Indian women s doubles pair in the quarter-finals comfortably thrashed the Sri Lankan pair of Hasini Ambalangodage and Madushika Dilrukshi Beruwelage 21-11 21-13.

Satwik then paired up with Chirag Shetty to get past Malaysian men s doubles pair of Chan Peng Soon and Huat 21-14 15-21 21-9.

However Sikki s mixed doubles campaign with Pranaav Chopra came to an end as they lost 17-21 12-21 to Malaysians Peng and Liu Ying Goh.

--IANS
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