Singapore Open: Saina, Sindhu, Prannoy enter quarterfinals
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PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, Saina Nehwal.
Singapore: Indian shuttlers Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy moved into the quarterfinals of the Singapore Open on Thursday, NDTV reported.
Saina is entering the last eight of a super 500 event for the first time in two and half years with a win 21-19 11-21 21-17. She beat the Chinese world number 9, He Bing Jiao. In the past few years, 32-year-old Saina has been battling injuries and lack of form, and consequently, she skipped trials for the Commonwealth Games.
Sindhu, the third seed, faced a remarkable challenge from Vietnam's world number 59, Thuy Linh Nguyen but gathered her win in the decider set, 19-21 21-19 21-18. She will face China's Han Yue.
The world no 19 Prannoy also took the game to the decider set. He recorded his second win in three weeks against world number four and third seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei. The match lasted an hour and nine minutes, and the score was 14-21 22-20 21-18. He will face Japan's Kodai Naraoka in the quarterfinals.
Indian men's doubles pair MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila also reached the quarterfinals with an 18-21 24-22 21-18 win against Malaysia's sixth-seeded pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin.
Meanwhile, Mithun Manjunath lost to Ireland's Nhat Nguyen 10-21 21-18 16-21. Ashmita Chaliha lost to Han Yue of China 9-21 13-21 in straight sets. Indian women's doubles pair Pooja Dandu and Arathi Sara Sunil also bowed out of the tournament, losing to China's sixth seed Li Wen Mei and Du Yue 21-12 21-6 in straight sets.