India women qualify for Uber Cup quarters, men knocked out of Thomas Cup (Roundup)

Saina Nehwal

New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) The Indian women's badminton team led by Saina Nehwal made it’s entry into the Uber Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2010, but the men had to bite the dust, as they were knocked out of the Thomas Cup here Monday.

The women won their tie against Hong Kong 4-1, but the men lost 2-3 to South Korea at the Siri Fort Sports Complex.

Captain Saina gave India a good start by clinching the opening singles 21-9, 21-10 against Pui Yin Yip to take a 6-1 lead in career meetings over the World No.21.

The doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa also won comfortably, defeating Hoi Wah Chau and Lok Yan Poon 21-17, 21-13 to give India a 2-0 lead.

World Championship bronze medallist P.V. Sindhu finished off the tie in brilliant fashion when she eased her way to a 21-8, 21-10 win to give the home team an unassailable 3-0 lead.

Though the next two rubbers were inconsequential, Tsz Ka Chan and Ying Suet Tse beat Pradnya Gadre and N. Siki Reddy 21-14, 21-11, but P.C. Thulasi came out strong to defeat Hung Yung Chan 19-21, 21-16, 21-7 in the third singles to give India a 4-1 victory.

India will take on Thailand on Tuesday to decide which team tops Group C as the latter also qualified after beating Canada 5-0.

Earlier, the Indian men's shuttlers were knocked out of the Thomas Cup after they lost their do or die Group C clash to South Korea 2-3.

While Wan Ho Son took care of Kidambi Srikanth in the first singles 17-21, 21-12, 21-18, B. Sumeet Reddy and Manu Atrri's 18-21, 17-21 loss to Yeon Seong Yoo and Yong Dae Lee in the doubles made it a 0-2 deficit for the visitors.

Parupalli Kashyap

However, after suffering a disastrous loss Sunday, captain Parupalli Kashyap came back strongly to defeat Dong Keun Lee 21-17, 21-14 to make it 1-2 for the hosts.

But Sa Rang Kim and Ki Jung Kim made sure South Korea entered the quarterfinals by defeating Akshay Dewalkar and Pranav Jerry Chopra 21-16, 21-16 in the second doubles match.

R.M.V. Gurusaidutt won his final men's singles match against Hwang Jong Soo 24-22, 21-13, but by then it was already too late.

South Korea qualified for the last eight along with Malaysia, who beat Germany 4-1. India will take on Germany in a dead rubber in their last pool tie Wednesday.