India Open 2022: PV Sindhu beats Chaliha to reach semi-finals
badminton
By-Rahul Singh
new Delhi. Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu entered the women’s singles semi-finals on Friday after beating fellow Indian Ashmita Chaliha in straight games at the India Open badminton tournament. Top seed former world champion Sindhu took 36 minutes to beat 21-year-old Chaliha 21-7 21-18 to settle in the last four with sixth seed Supanida Katethong of Thailand. Ketthong advanced to the semi-finals after third seed Yeo Jia Min of Singapore pulled out of the tournament due to high fever.
Sindhu last faced Chaliha in the 83rd Yonex-Sunrise Senior National Championships in 2019. The young player from Assam had put up a spirited performance. On Friday, Chaliha lost the first game easily and put up a good fight in the second game but could not stop Sindhu from winning the match. Sindhu took an 11-5 lead in the opening match till break time. Then quickly took 10 points and finished the match with 21-7 points. Chaliha got the better of herself in the second game as she tied 9-9. Sindhu then took a 15-11 lead, but Chaliha again brought the match to 15-15 points. Sindhu then changed gears and got four match points. Chaliha scored two match points before Sindhu’s match was over.
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In the second semi-final, Akarshi Kashyap will face second-seeded Thai Busanan Ongbamrungphan, who registered a 21-12, 21-15 win over compatriot Malavika Bansod in the quarterfinals on Friday. Busanan defeated American Lauren Lam 21-12, 21-8 in the last eight. Men’s doubles pair of Ishaan Bhatnagar and Sai Prateek K went down 7-21, 7-21 to third seeds Ong Yu Sin and Teo E Yi of Malaysia in just 19 minutes.
In mixed doubles, Indian pair of Venkat Gaurav Prasad and Juhi Devangan, seeded 8th, went down 10-21, 13-21 to Malaysian pair of Chen Tang Ji and Pek Yen Wei in just 23 minutes. Another Indian pair of Nitin HV and Ashwini Bhat Ke crashed out of the $400,000 competition after losing 15-21, 19-21 to Singapore’s Hee Yong Kai Terry and Tan Wei Han.
