Odisha Masters 2023: Ashwini-Tanisha pair, Okuhara move into semis

In the quarterfinals, Ashwini and Tanisha were up against Sung Shuo-yun and Yu Chien Hui of Chinese Taipei and came up with a bold performance, winning 22-20, 20-22, 21-14.

Published : Dec 15, 2023 21:07 IST , CUTTACK - 1 MIN READ

FILE PHOTO: India’s Tanisha Crasto (right) and Ashwini Ponnappa (left). | Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA/THE HINDU

Former world No.1 Nozomi Okuhara cantered into the women’s singles semifinals, while ace doubles shuttlers Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto fought their way into the doubles last-four stage of the Odisha Masters Open on Friday.

In the quarterfinals, the Indian duo was up against Sung Shuo-yun and Yu Chien Hui of Chinese Taipei and came up with a bold performance, winning 22-20, 20-22, 21-14.

Japanese Okuhara barely batted an eyelid in her seamless 21-5, 21-13 triumph over Indonesia’s Ruzana in the quarterfinals.

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However, another Indian pair of Rutuparna Panda-Swetaparna Panda was ousted by Jesita Putri Miantoro-Febi Setianingrum of Indonesia 21-9, 21-15.

The mixed doubles pair of Crasto and Dhruv Kapila displayed great composure and banked on the momentum to beat Marwan Farza-Jessica Maya Rismawardani of Indonesia 21-16, 21-11.

In the meantime, B Sumeeth Reddy-N Sikki Reddy pair put on a fight against Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch of Denmark in the quarterfinal before going down 20-22, 21-16, 21-18.

In the men’s singles, World Junior Championships bronze medallist Ayush Shetty emerged a 21-16, 21-14 winner over Subhankar Dey.

Kiran George also came up with an easy 21-10, 21-16 victory over Meiraba Luwang Maisnam to advance to the semifinal. But Chirag Sen had tough luck as he was knocked out by Satish Kumar Karunakaran 21-10, 21-16.

Unnati Hooda fought back to win her match against Anupama Upadhyaya 16-21, 21-7, 21-15 and qualified for the semifinal.