Badminton Asia C'ships: Satwik/Chirag enter semifinals to keep Indian challenge alive

Men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated Indonesia counterparts Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in the quarter-finals of the Badminton Asia Championships in straight sets (21-11, 21-12). The Sat-Chi duo entered the semi-finals to keep India's medal hopes alive in the competition.

Earlier in the day, Rohan Kapoor/Sikki Reddy (Mixed Doubles), PV Sindhu (Women's Singles), and HS Prannoy (Men's Singles) fell to their opponents in the quarter-finals and exited from the Asian tournament in Dubai on Friday.

Sindhu, seeded eighth, pocked the first game 21-18 but looked completely off colour in the next two games which she lost 5-21 9-21 to hand Young a place in the semifinals.

The other Indian hope, eight seed HS Prannoy too bowed out in the men’s singles quarterfinals after conceding his match midway against Kanta Tsuneyama of Japan.

Prannoy was trailing 11-21 9-13 when he retired due to an injury.

Earlier in the day, qualifiers Rohan Kapoor and N Sikki Reddy battled hard before losing a tough three-game mixed doubles contest against Dejan Ferdinansyah and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja of Indonesia.

The Indian pair fought for one hour and five minutes before losing the quarterfinal by 18-21 21-19 15-21 margin.

(With PTI inputs)