Sports
Denmark Open: Lakshya Sen and Prannoy in pre-quarterfinals, Saina out in first round
Odense. World Championship bronze medalists Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy advanced to the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals of the Denmark Open with straight game wins while veteran Saina Nehwal crashed out of the women’s singles first round here on Wednesday. Unseeded Indian player Sen defeated sixth seed Anthony Sinisuka Jinting of Indonesia 21-16 21-12 in a first round match that lasted 39 minutes to face compatriot HS Prannoy in the pre-quarterfinals of the Super 750 tournament. . It was Sen’s third win over Jinting this year, having previously defeated him at the German Open in March and the Thomas Cup in May.
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Prannoy took 43 minutes to win over China’s Zhao Jun Peng 21-13 22-20. He had lost twice earlier this year – the Indonesia Open in June and the World Championship in August – to the same opponent. In women’s singles, 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Saina lost in the first round. She lost 17-21 21-19 11-21 to Zhang Yi Mann of China in a match that lasted 48 minutes. Saina has lost to the Chinese player for the second time in a year, having also lost to her at the Macau Open in February. Saina’s exit also ended the Indian campaign in women’s singles at the tournament.
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Men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty registered a win over Korea’s Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae. India’s seventh seeded pair beat the Korean pair 21-15 21-19 in a 44-minute first round match to face Indonesia’s Mohd Shohibul Fikri and Maulana Bagas in the pre-quarterfinals. Kidambi Srikanth will take on seventh seed Loh Keen Yiu of Singapore in the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals on Thursday.
