India Open 2023: Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto seals quarterfinal berth, Kim Astrup-Rasmussen knocked out

Fajar-Ardianto, who regained their world no. 1 ranking after winning Malaysia Open last week, will face Germany’s Mark Lamsfuss-Marvin Seidel in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian, right, and Muhammad Rian Ardianto plays a shot against Malaysia’s Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi during their men’s doubles quarterfinals match at the Malaysia Open at Bukit Jalil Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur on January 13, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP

Fajar Alfian-Mohammad Rian Ardianto beat fellow Indonesians Muhammad Fikri and Bagas Mulana in straight games, 21-17, 21-18, to reach the quarterfinals of the India Open Super 750 in New Delhi on Thursday.

Fajar and Ardianto, who regained their world no. 1 ranking after winning Malaysia Open last week, will face Germany’s Mark Lamsfuss-Marvin Seidel in the quarterfinals on Friday. World no. 17 Lamsfuss-Seidel won a marathon three-game contest in one hour and five minutes to knock out world no. 7 Kim Astrup-Anders Rasmussen.

Zhang Siwei-Huang Yaqiong, the mixed doubles champion at Malaysia Open, needed merely 31 minutes to advance as the Chinese pair beat Indonesia’s Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto-Lisa Ayu Kusumawati in straight games (21-16, 21-9).

In women’s doubles, Malaysian pair Parley Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan also sealed its place in the last eight by prevailing over Chinese Taipei’s Lee Chiahsin-Teng Chun Hsun 16-21, 21-17, 21-18.

Meanwhile, in women’s singles, world no. 1 Akane Yamaguchi beat Han Yue 21-14, 21-17 to make it to the quarterfinals.

He Bingjiao won her round of 16 match 21-18, 21-15 against Kim Ga-Eun. But her compatriot Wang Zhiyi retired hurt midway through the second game to concede the match to American Beiwen Zhang.