Bitburger Open: Ruthvika crashes out

Ruthvika Shivani Gadde went down 16-21 13-21 to the top-seeded He Bingjiao of China in the pre-quarterfinals. Sourabh and Sameer Verma advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of men’s singles competition.

Ruthvika Shivani Gadde lost to the top-seeded He Bingjao.

India’s Ruthvika Shivani Gadde suffered a straight-game defeat at the hands of He Bingjiao of China in the pre-quarterfinals of the women's singles event at the Bitburger Open here today.

Gadde lost 16-21 13-21 to the top seeded Chinese.

Prajakta Sawant, meanwhile, had a bittersweet day as she and Yogendran Krishnan won the mixed doubles but lost the women’s doubles with her partner Zhi Qing Lee.

Earlier, the Verma brothers — Sourabh and Sameer — advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of men’s singles competition.

Sourabh sailed into the third round after his Chinese opponent Xue Song, seeded 14th, retired when he was trailing 9-16 in the opening game. The Chinese Taipei Open winner will next take on sixth seed Ihsan Maulana Mustofa of Indonesia.

Sameer, seeded 12th, brushed aside Finland’s Eetu Heino 21-10 21-16 in 30 minutes to set up a clash with Scotland’s Kieran Merrilees.

Tanvi Lad bowed out in the opening round after losing to Gayle Mahulette of the Netherlands 14-21 17-21 in a 31-minute women’s singles clash.

Akshay Dewalkar and Tarun Kona went down fighting 13-21 22-20 21-23 against eighth seeds Michael Fuchs and Johannes Schoettler of Germany.