NewKerala.com

Key Points

Indian badminton star Kidambi Srikanth has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Masters after a hard-fought victory against Ireland's Nhat Nguyen. The mixed doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila also secured their spot in the next round with a thrilling three-game win. While HS Prannoy couldn't progress, the tournament continues to showcase India's competitive badminton talent. Srikanth will next face France's Toma Junior Popov in what promises to be an exciting quarterfinal match.

Key Points: Srikanth Tanisha-Dhruv Advance in Malaysia Masters Badminton

  • Srikanth defeats Nhat Nguyen in challenging second-round match
  • Tanisha-Dhruv win gritty mixed doubles encounter
  • Prannoy falls to Yushi Tanaka despite tough fight
2 min read

Malaysia Masters: Srikanth, Tanisha-Dhruv cruise to quarters

Indian shuttlers Kidambi Srikanth and mixed doubles pair Tanisha-Dhruv progress to quarterfinals with impressive wins in Malaysia Masters

"A battling performance that showcases true competitive spirit - Badminton Analyst"

Kuala Lumpur, May 22

Veteran Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth progressed to the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Masters after overcoming Ireland's Nhat Nguyen in the second round on Thursday.

Srikanth, currently ranked 65 in the world following a prolonged dip in form, battled for 59 minutes to register a 23-21, 21-17 win over the world No. 33.

In the quarterfinals, He will take on France's Toma Junior Popov, who advanced after defeating India's Ayush Shetty 21-13, 21-17.

HS Prannoy put up a determined fight but fell short against Yushi Tanaka, losing 9-21, 18-21 in the second round.

In the mixed doubles, the Indian duo of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila secured a place in the quarterfinals with a gritty 21-17, 18-21, 21-15 victory over France's Lea Palermo and Julien Maio. They will next face the Chinese pair of Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin.

Meanwhile, Sathish Karunakaran bowed out of the tournament following a 14-21, 16-21 loss to Toma's brother and doubles partner, Christo Popov.

Earlier, Prannoy battled past fifth seed Kenta Nishimoto of Japan in an 82-minute showdown, clinching a 19-21, 21-17, 21-16 victory. Not to be outdone, Srikanth stunned sixth seed Lu Guang Zu of China with a gritty 23-21, 13-21, 21-11 win to power into the second round.

Srikanth qualified for the main draw in the men's singles section after beating Chinese Taipei shuttlers Kuo Kuan-lin and Huang Yu Kai in the qualifiers.

However, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu fell 11-21, 21-14, 15-21 to Nguyen Thuy Linh of Vietnam in the women's singles first round.

Kapila and Crasto registered a 21-18, 15-21, 21-14 win over Indah Cahya Sari Jamil and Adnan Maulana of Indonesia to advance into the second round.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Srikanth showing glimpses of his old form! 👏 That win against China's Lu Guang Zu was special. Hope he can keep this momentum going. Mixed doubles pair also looking strong - tough match against China next but I believe in them! #BadmintonIndia
P
Priya M.
Disappointed with Sindhu's early exit again. She's been struggling since her injury. Maybe needs to change her coaching staff? Otherwise, good performances overall. Tanisha-Dhruv are the new stars to watch!
A
Arjun S.
Why is BAI not sending more young players for these tournaments? Only seeing same faces year after year. Need to build bench strength like China does. Otherwise we'll keep depending on 2-3 players.
N
Neha P.
That 82-minute match by Prannoy must have been epic! These players put their heart on court. Hope someone uploads highlights on YouTube. Wishing all our shuttlers the best - bring some medals home! 🇮🇳
V
Vikram D.
Mixed doubles is where India can really shine in Paris Olympics. Tanisha-Dhruv showing great chemistry. But need more consistency against top Chinese pairs - they're the real test!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50