Saina, Praneeth reach Thailand Open quarters

Bangkok June 1 (IANS) Title contenders Saina Nehwal and B. Sai Praneeth advanced to the quarter-finals of the $1 20 000 Thailand Open badminton tournament after notching up straight-game victories in the women s and men s singles competition respectively here on Thursday.

Second seed Saina outclassed Ying Ying Lee of Malaysia 21-11 21-14 in a 40-minute match to set up a clash with Japanese qualifier Haruko Suzuki.

Praneeth also dished out a dominating show to thrash ninth seed Malaysian Iskandar Zulkarnain 21-13 21-18. The third seeded Indian will now face Thailand s Kantaphon Wangcharoen on Friday.

However it was curtains for Sourabh Verma and Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka in men s and women s singles competition.

The 12th seeded Sourabh fought hard before going down narrowly 16-21 25-23 11-21 to fifth seeded Brice Leverdez of France while Sai Uttejitha Rao lost 15-21 17-21 to Pattarasuda Chaiwan of Thailand.

In mixed doubles Prajakta Sawant and her Malaysian partner Yogendran Khrishnan lost 10-21 9-21 to top seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand.

--IANS
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