Sourabh enters semis; Gurusai Dutt, Thulasi exit
30 March 2014 4:56 AM IST
India’s Sourabh Verma advanced to the semifinals but it was curtains for R M V Gurusaidutt and P C Thulasi in the singles competition of the USD 120,000 Malaysian Grand Prix Gold at Pasir Gudang on Friday.
Eighth seed Sourabh overcame Chinese Taipei’s Tien Chen Chou 22-20 18-21 21-15 in a thrilling contest to set up a clash with Malaysia’s Wei Feng Chong, who showed the exit door to Gurusaidutt, in the last-four stage of the men’s singles competition.
In the other men’s quarterfinal, sixth seed Gurusaidutt went down fighting to Feng Chong 12-21 21-5 19-21 at Stadium Pasir Gudang.
Thulasi, too, failed to cross the quarterfinal hurdle as she was knocked out by Adrianti Firdasari of Indonesia 17-21 21-17 18-21 in 53 minutes, ending India’s challenge in the women’s singles category.
In the other quartersfinals played, it was curtains for men’s doubles pair of Alwin Francis and Arun Vishnu, who lost to Malaysia’s V Shem Goh and Khim Wah Lim 18-21 14-21, while the eight seeded combo of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Siki Reddy were beaten by Indonesia’s Edi Subaktiar and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja 26-28 19-21 in the mixed doubles event.
In their first meeting, Sourabh was marginally ahead of his rival in the opening game and clinched it 22-20. In the second game too, Sourabh was leading 18-15 before Chen Chou hit a six-point rally to take the game to the decider. Sourabh was more consistent in the final one to continue his sensational run. The 21-year-old has been in great form.
Eighth seed Sourabh overcame Chinese Taipei’s Tien Chen Chou 22-20 18-21 21-15 in a thrilling contest to set up a clash with Malaysia’s Wei Feng Chong, who showed the exit door to Gurusaidutt, in the last-four stage of the men’s singles competition.
In the other men’s quarterfinal, sixth seed Gurusaidutt went down fighting to Feng Chong 12-21 21-5 19-21 at Stadium Pasir Gudang.
Thulasi, too, failed to cross the quarterfinal hurdle as she was knocked out by Adrianti Firdasari of Indonesia 17-21 21-17 18-21 in 53 minutes, ending India’s challenge in the women’s singles category.
In the other quartersfinals played, it was curtains for men’s doubles pair of Alwin Francis and Arun Vishnu, who lost to Malaysia’s V Shem Goh and Khim Wah Lim 18-21 14-21, while the eight seeded combo of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Siki Reddy were beaten by Indonesia’s Edi Subaktiar and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja 26-28 19-21 in the mixed doubles event.
In their first meeting, Sourabh was marginally ahead of his rival in the opening game and clinched it 22-20. In the second game too, Sourabh was leading 18-15 before Chen Chou hit a six-point rally to take the game to the decider. Sourabh was more consistent in the final one to continue his sensational run. The 21-year-old has been in great form.
Next Story
