Sucheon: Indian shuttler PV Sindhu entered the quarterfinals with a comfortable straight-game win over Japan’s Aya Ohori but Lakshya Sen and Malvika Bansod crashed out after losing their second round matches at the Korea Open Super 500 badminton tournament here on Thursday. . World No. 7 Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, defeated world No. 26 Ohori 21-15, 21-10 to win 12-0 against the Japanese in a one-sided contest. in 13 meetings.
The third seeded Indian will next face Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan, whom she defeated in the final of the Swiss Open last month. The former world champion, who has won two Super 300 titles this season at the Syed Modi International and the Swiss Open, has taken a 16-1 lead in 17 matches against the world No. 11 Thai player.
World Championships bronze medalist Sen, who is ranked ninth in the world, lost 20-229-21 to world number 24 Shesar Hiren Rustavito in 33 minutes. The country’s other fast-rising shuttler Bansod also failed to reach the quarterfinals as she was beaten 8-21, 14-21 by Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong in a second round women’s singles match that lasted 39 minutes. This was also the curtain for the mixed doubles pairing of Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa. The two fought hard but eventually lost 20-22 21-18 14-21 to fifth seeds Ou Xuan Yi and Huang Ya Qiang of China in a fierce battle that lasted for an hour.
During the 37-minute second round match, Sindhu did not appear to be in much trouble as she kept things under control to reign supreme. The Indian started well and only once did Ohori take a slim one point lead at 8-7, but it was wiped out in no time as he finished the opening game comfortably. The Japanese tried to bounce back with an 8-4 lead in the second, but Sindhu knocked on her opponent in the next, grabbing 17 points from 19.
Earlier, sixth-seeded Sen, who has been in sensational form over the past six months with consecutive final finishes at the German Open and All England Championships, was beaten by Rustavito in the first game. The 20-year-old Indian then lost steam and humbly struggled to accept the tie in the second.v
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