Hong Kong Open: Saina, Sindhu enter quarters

Saina Nehwal continued her comeback and notched up an impressive 21-18, 9-21, 21-16 win over Japan's Sayaka Sato to move into the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Open.

Saina Nehwal will play in the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Open.

Newly-crowned China Open champion P. V. Sindhu and Saina Nehwal entered the quarterfinals of the women’s singles competition at the Hong Kong Open Super Series tournament on a fruitful day for Indian shuttlers here.

Sindhu, who bagged her maiden Super Series Premier title last week at the China Open just months after winning the silver at the Rio Olympics, trounced Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Ya Ching 21-10, 21-14, while Saina dished out a gruelling performance against Japan’s Sayaka Sato to prevail 21-18, 9-21, 21-16.

A two-time bronze medallist at the World Championship, Sindhu will take on Singapore’s Xiaoyu Liang, while fifth-seed Saina, who is on a comeback trail after recovering from a serious knee injury, will meet Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan Yi.

In the men’s singles, Ajay Jayaram beat China’s Huang Yuxiang 21-18, 21-19, while National champion Sameer Verma eked out a 19-21, 21-15, 21-11 win over Japan’s Kazumasa Sakai.

Jayaram will take on local hope Ng Ka Long Angus, while Sameer will face Malaysian qualifier Chong Wei Feng.

However, it turned out to be a disappointing day for H. S. Prannoy, who suffered a 21-15, 11-21, 15-21 loss against Malaysia’s Chong Wei Feng.