Indian shuttlers continue to shine at US Open

However, RMV Gurusaidutt’s campaign in men’s singles category ended as he went down 17-21, 12-21 to Japan’s Kazumasa Sakai on Wednesday night. 

Sixth seed B Sai Praneeth, who clinched the Canada Open Grand Prix last week at Calgary, edged past Canada’s BR Sankeerth 21-15, 21-7. He will next take on Sakai.

Fifth seed HS Prannoy brushed aside Ireland’s Joshua Magee 21-9, 21-8 in a lop-sided contest and will take on Canada Open finalist Korea’s Lee Hyun Il. 

Young Pratul Joshi disposed of the Czech Republic’s Milan Ludik 21-18, 21-13 and will fight it out against fellow Indian Anand Pawar, who defeated Austria’s David Obernosterer 21-12, 21-9 in another match.

Fourth seed Ajay Jayaram, who had hurt his shoulder at Calgary last week, also prevailed over Estonia’s Raul Must 21-14, 21-9 and will take on Pedro Martins of Portugal next. 

In women’s singles, Tanvi Lad ended the run of Guatemala’s Nikte Alejandra Sotomayor 21-6, 21-9 to set up a clash with the US’s Beiwen Zhang, seeded fifth.

In women’s doubles, top seeds Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa gave a walkover in women’s doubles after the latter was laid low by a bout of viral fever while Jakkampudi Meghana and S. Poorvisha Ram will play against American combo of Ariel Lee and Sydney Lee. 

Rio-bound Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy will take on the Japanese combo of Kenya Mitsuhashi and Yuta Watanabe.