Defending Champion India faces Thailand in their Thomas Cup Opener.
While the Thomas Cup is the world badminton team championship for men, the Uber Cup is the women’s version. Both championships are held simultaneously biannually.
Top Indian shuttlers Kidambi Srikanth and Sourabh Verma reached the quarterfinals as Lakshya Sen bowed out of the men’s singles contest at the Syed Modi International Badminton tournament in Lucknow on Thursday.
Srikanth won 18-21, 22-20, 21-16 in a thrilling match over compatriot Parupalli Kashyap to set up a clash with Son Wan Ho of Korea in the Super 300 meet.
Notably, Srikanth had defeated Russia’s Vladimir Malkov in straight sets of 21-12 21-11 in 36 minutes in the first round, whereas his opponent Kashyap had got a walkover from Frenchman Lucas Corvee.
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Meanwhile, Verma, who had outplayed Canada’s Xiaodong Sheng 21-11 21-16 in the first round, defeated fellow Indian Alap Mishra 21-11 21-18 to face Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Lakshya, 18, went down to the experienced Son Wan Ho, a former world number 1.
In the women’s doubles pair, Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy retired after they were behind 0-2 in the opening game against English pair of Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith. The Indian duo had entered the second round after beating Hong Kong pair of NG Tsz Yau and Yuen Sin Ying 21-13, 16-21, 21-19.
Sad to withdraw from both my matches here at the Syed Modi Open due to an injury😞When you don’t listen to the signs your body gives you to rest and recover ,it forces you to take a break by making sure you’ve got no option but to take the break😞Time to heal my body! pic.twitter.com/KCoiB1uxCw
— Ashwini Ponnappa (@P9Ashwini) November 28, 2019
The Women’s duo of Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker made it to the quarterfinals after beating compatriots Riya Mookerjee and Anura Prabhudesai 21-12, 21-15.
Doubles pair of #SimranSinghi and #RitikaThaker defeated compatriot Riya Mookerjee and Anura Prabhudesai 21-12, 21-15 to reach the quarter-finals of #syedmodisuper300. All the best Girls! Keep the momentum going.💪#IndiaontheRise#badminton pic.twitter.com/d8pEwELuID
— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) November 28, 2019
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