PV Sindhu in action. (file photo)
PV Sindhu performed brilliantly to register a thrilling win in the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Open on Thursday. World No. 21 HS Prannoy also advanced to the men’s singles quarter-finals with an easy 21-15, 21-7 win over fourth seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei.
Sindhu made an impressive comeback to beat Thailand’s Fittayaporn Chaiwan 19-21, 21-9, 21-14 in 57 minutes to reach the last eight of the prestigious tournament.
The seventh seeded Indian will next face Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei in the last eight.
Unseeded Prannoy, one of the heroes of India’s epic Thomas Cup win, will lock horns with seventh seed Indonesian Jonathan Christie.
Earlier, Sindhu started with a win and went ahead while Saina Nehwal was knocked out in the first round. If former world champion Sindhu did well to beat world number 10 Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand 21-13 21-17, London Olympics bronze medalist Saina went on to beat world 33 ranked American Iris Wang 11-21. Lost. 17-21 in 37 minutes.
Seventh-seeded Sindhu clashed with Thailand’s 21-year-old Fittayaporn Chaiwan, who secured the number one ranking in the world junior rankings and was also part of the bronze medal-winning team at the Uber Cup in Bangkok. ,
B Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa, who are leading India in the Commonwealth Games, also could not get ahead of the world number 21 pair of Robin Tabelling and Selena Pike of the Netherlands.
(Inputs PTI)