Denmark Open 2018: Sameer Verma, Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy through to quarter finals 

Apart from Saina Nehwal, who defeated Akane Yamaguchi, Sameer Verma and womens' doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy also progressed to the quarter finals of Super Level 750 tournament played at Odense, Denmark on Thursday. It was an outstanding performance by the Indian shuttlers.

Sameer Verma defeated Jonathan Christie in three gruelling sets. It was a close fought game right from the start. In the first game, Sameer Verma had 3 game points, but Christie levelled the scores. The Indian held his nerves to win the first set 23-21. The Indonesian player made a strong comeback in the second game, winning it easily 21-6 to force the game into a decider.

The deciding game was a close fought one with both players taking alternate points. Sameer Verma held his nerves to win the third set 22-20. With this win, Verma progressed into the quarter finals.

Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy stun 7th seed Korean pair

The Indian womens' doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy stunned the 7th seed Korean pair of Lee S-h and Shin s-c in three gruelling games. It was a really impressive performance by Indian pair.

Although the Korean pair won the first game 21-18, Ponnappa and Reddy fought really hard in the second game, winning it 22-20, to force the match into the decider. In the deciding game, the Indians showed great badminton skills, and won the third set 21-18 to move into quarter finals stage.

Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy will face the number 1 ranked pair of Fukushima and Hirota in the quarter finals tomorrow.

Earlier in the day, Saina Nehwal produced an excellent display of badminton, defeating Yamaguchi in two straight games.

Kidambi Srikanth will take on Lin Dan later in the day.