Kashyap storms into quarterfinal

Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap advanced to the quarterfinal of Singapore Open but it was H S Prannoy, who hogged the limelight with his straight-game demolition of world no. 2 Jan O Jorgensen in the men’s singles competition. Kashyap, who had reached a career-best world no. 6 in 2013, staved off the challenge of fourth seed Son Wan Ho of Korea 21-15, 22-20, before Prannoy scripted another giant-killing act of sending Denmark’s Jorgensen out of the tournament for the second time on a trot. World no. 14 Prannoy, who had defeated Jorgensen at the India Super Series in New Delhi last month, notched up a 21-16 21-8 win over the second seed to reach the quarters.

The Indian had beaten the Dane at the Japan Open in 2013 as well. Kashyap will next take on France’s Brice Leverdez, who saw off another Dane Hans-Kristian Vittinghun 21-13, 19-21, 21-18 during his prequarterfinal match. Prannoy, on the other hand, will clash with world no. 10 Kento Momota of Japan on Friday. However, it was a bad day in office for world no. 4 Kidambi Srikanth, who suffered a 15-21, 20-22 loss to Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand in another match. Delhi CWG champion pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa, too, could not get past third seeds Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang (F) of China, going down fighting 22-24, 18-21 in a women’s doubles match.