Thailand Open: Saina, Prannoy, Srikanth reach quarterfinals

India’s badminton icon Saina Nehwal outclassed Indonesia’s Febby Angguni in straight games 21-12, 21-11 to cruise into the quarterfinals of the SCG Thailand Open being played in Bangkok.

The world number two hardly broke a sweat as she came out all guns blazing to clinch the opening game at 21-12.

Saina kept essaying clinical winners with increasingly regularity and did not allow her Indonesian opponent to settle down.

Angguni caved in meekly in the second game as Saina stepped on the accelerator.

The Indian bagged seven points in a row to pocket it at 21-12 to set up a quarterfinal meeting with eight seed Juan Gu of Singapore.

Saina is the lone Indian women left in the fray after Arundhati Pantawane lost to fifth seed Sapsiree Taerattanachai of Thailand 16-21, 13-21.

Meanwhile in the men’s singles category, India’s HS Prannoy continued his super run by stunning tenth seed and country mate Anand Pawar in a fighting come-from-behind 19-21, 21-13, 21-15 win to progress to the quarterfinals.

Prannoy had earlier knocked out fifth seed and country mate Ajay Jayaram in the second round.

The 64th ranked Indian now plays Indonesia’s Wisnu Yuli Prasetyo in the round of 8.

Thirteenth seed K Srikanth was the other Indian to make it to the last eight stage.

The 61st ranked shuttler made mincemeat of Korea’s Hwang Jong Soo 21-19, 21-15 to surge into the quarterfinals, where he locks horns with Korea’s Wan Ho Son.

Another Indian, B Sai Praneeth, lost in the third round, losing 18-21, 21-16, 19-21 to Indonesia’s Wisnu Yuli Prasetyo.

It may be pertinent to mention that the Indian shuttlers had capped off a fine run in the Yonex Sunrise Indian Open held in New Delhi.

India’s Anand Pawar reached the men’s singles semifinals where he was outclassed by Japan’s Kenichi Tago.

PV Sindhu reached the women’s singles semifinals where she went down to Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon.

As five Indians reached the men’s singles quarterfinals – besides Anand Pawar, Ajay Jayram, RMV Gurusaidutt, HS Prannoy and B Sai Praneeth lived up to the home fan’s expectations.

Two Indians made it to the women’s singles quarterfinals – Arundhati Pantawane made the last-eight grade along with Sindhu.

However, the country’s top men and women singles players – Parupalli Kashyap and Saina Nehwal – have had a disappointing 2013 so far.

Both have failed to come up with any eye-catching performances this year, especially Saina who is yet to win her first singles crown of 2013.