Asian Games: Doubles teams storm into pre-quarters

Pradnya Gadre and Sikki Reddy

Incheon, Sep 24 (IANS)

Indian men's badminton doubles team of B. Sumeeth Reddy and Manu Attri and the women's doubles pair of Pradnya Gadre and N. Silki Reddy won their respective matches comfortably to reach the pre-quarterfinals of the 17th Asian Games at the Gyeyang Gymnasium here Wednesday.

Reddy and Attri thrashed Maldives' Nasheeu Sharafuddeen and Mohamed Sarim 21-7, 21-7 in 19 minutes to win Round of 32 match.

The Indian pair will face Chinese team of Xialong Liu and Zhian Qiu in the pre-quarterfinal Thursday.

In the women's competition, Pradnya and Sikki registered a facile win over Nepal's Sichhya Shrestha-Punam Gurung.

The Indian pair wrapped up the Round of 32 match 21-6, 21-4 in just 16 minutes.

Pradnya and Sikki face Japanese pair of Miyuki Maeda-Reika Kakiwa in the Round of 16 match later in the day.