<div><span>With home players making swift exits from the $250,000 Yonex Sunrise India Open badminton, Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap kept the Indian hopes afloat by clinching quarterfinal berths at the Siri Fort Sports Complex on Thursday.<br /><br /></span><div>While Saina went past the women’s singles second round for the first time in four editions, beating Thailand's Natcha Saengchote 21-15, 21-12, Kashyap overcame compatriot RMV Gurusaidutt 21-15, 16-21, 21-11 in men’s singles.<br /><br /></div><div>Both Saina and Kashyap, the lone surviving Indians in the tournament, however, face formidable opponents in the quarterfinals.</div><div> </div><div>Kashyap will have to brace up for a gigantic challenge against World No 1 Lee Chong Wei, who will be meeting his third Indian opponent in the tournament. <br /><br />Lee had beaten K Ajay Kumar in the opening round and this day gave a badminton lesson to Sourabh Varma during his 21-9, 21-6 victory that came in mere 23 minutes.<br /><br /></div><div>Saina will be up against World No 2 Wang Yihan of China, to whom she has lost in seven of the eight meetings. <br /></div><div><br />The only time she survived Wang was when the Chinese retired hurt in Denmark Open in 2012.<br /><br /></div><div>On Thursday, it took eighth-seeded Saina a while to get the hang of her diminutive opponent.</div><div><br />Natcha, with her wristy returns and sharp net play, kept her on toes. Both conceded lead several times in the first game before Saina unleashed a series of fine smashes to gain control.<br /><br />She grabbed six points on the trot to pocket the opening game and carried with the flair in the second to close the match in 35 minutes.<br /><br /></div><div>“I was playing her (Natcha) for the first time so it took me some time to read her game. <br /><br />As the match progressed, I was more aggressive and got better with my movements and strokes. I just hope I win this time,” said the 24-year-old.<br /><br /></div><div>“Tomorrow’s game will be tougher against Yihan. <br /></div><div><br />She is a very strong player. <br /></div><div> </div><div>I hope my movements and strokes goes well. She will be very aggressive. I am playing well so I have to be really ready tomorrow.”</div><div> </div><div>Saina, ranked eighth, believed she could soon regain her place in top-five bracket. <br /><br />“The last six months have been really good because I have been training hard. <br /><br />I am just waiting for a win and it will come soon. I know it is not going to be easy but I somehow feel I can get into top-5 soon.”<br /><br /></div><div>Kashyap, who has never won against Lee in three meetings, said he would do his best.<br /></div><div> </div><div>“Tomorrow it will be a big challenge. I need to be solid in my defence. He is a fast player so I need to control his speed,” he said. </div><div> </div><div>Meanwhile, former national champion Sayali Gokhale bowed to World No 5 Yeon Ju Bae 15-21, 8-21 while Trupti Murgunde lost to Indonesian Aprilla Yuswandari 13-21, 12-21.<br /><br /></div><div>The women’s doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa lost to Chinese Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei 13-21, 19-21.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Results (Second round, Indians unless mentioned): Men’s singles: 1-Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Sourabh Varma 21-9, 21-6; Parupalli Kashyap bt RMV Gurusaidutt 21-15, 16-21, 21-11; Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Suppanyu Avihingsanon 21-13, 23-21; 7-Du Pengyu (Chn) bt Sho Sasaki (Jpn) 21-19, 21-17; 4-Jan O Jorgensen (Den) bt Dong Keun Lee (Kor) 21-16, 21-11; 2-Chen Long (Chn) bt Brice Leverdez (Fra) 21-16, 21-15.<br /><br /></div><div>Women’s singles: 1-Li Xuerui (Chn) bt Nichaon Jindapon (Ind) 19-21, 21-17, 21-16; 5-Yeon Ju Bae (Kor) bt Sayali Gokhale 21-15, 21-8; Aprilla Yuswandari (Ina), Trupti Murgunde 21-13, 21-12; Xin Liu (Chn) bt Xue Yao (Chn) 21-16, 21-15; 8-Saina Nehwal bt Natcha Saengchote (Tha) 21-15, 21-12; 3-Yihan Wang (Chn) bt Shizuka Uchida (Jpn) 21-8, 13-21, 21-12; 6-Ji Hyun Sung (Kor) bt Minatsu Mitani (Jpn) 21-17, 21-15; 2-Shixian Wang (Chn) bt Sayaka Takahashi (Jpn) 21-17, 20-22, 21-12. <br /><br /></div><div>Women’s doubles (Indians only): 1-Christinna Pedersen/ Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) bt Dhanya Nair/ Mohita Sahdev 21-4, 21-9; 5-Qing Tain/ Yunlei Zha (Chn) bt Jwala Gutta/ Ashwini Ponnappa 21-13, 21-19.<br /></div></div>
<div><span>With home players making swift exits from the $250,000 Yonex Sunrise India Open badminton, Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap kept the Indian hopes afloat by clinching quarterfinal berths at the Siri Fort Sports Complex on Thursday.<br /><br /></span><div>While Saina went past the women’s singles second round for the first time in four editions, beating Thailand's Natcha Saengchote 21-15, 21-12, Kashyap overcame compatriot RMV Gurusaidutt 21-15, 16-21, 21-11 in men’s singles.<br /><br /></div><div>Both Saina and Kashyap, the lone surviving Indians in the tournament, however, face formidable opponents in the quarterfinals.</div><div> </div><div>Kashyap will have to brace up for a gigantic challenge against World No 1 Lee Chong Wei, who will be meeting his third Indian opponent in the tournament. <br /><br />Lee had beaten K Ajay Kumar in the opening round and this day gave a badminton lesson to Sourabh Varma during his 21-9, 21-6 victory that came in mere 23 minutes.<br /><br /></div><div>Saina will be up against World No 2 Wang Yihan of China, to whom she has lost in seven of the eight meetings. <br /></div><div><br />The only time she survived Wang was when the Chinese retired hurt in Denmark Open in 2012.<br /><br /></div><div>On Thursday, it took eighth-seeded Saina a while to get the hang of her diminutive opponent.</div><div><br />Natcha, with her wristy returns and sharp net play, kept her on toes. Both conceded lead several times in the first game before Saina unleashed a series of fine smashes to gain control.<br /><br />She grabbed six points on the trot to pocket the opening game and carried with the flair in the second to close the match in 35 minutes.<br /><br /></div><div>“I was playing her (Natcha) for the first time so it took me some time to read her game. <br /><br />As the match progressed, I was more aggressive and got better with my movements and strokes. I just hope I win this time,” said the 24-year-old.<br /><br /></div><div>“Tomorrow’s game will be tougher against Yihan. <br /></div><div><br />She is a very strong player. <br /></div><div> </div><div>I hope my movements and strokes goes well. She will be very aggressive. I am playing well so I have to be really ready tomorrow.”</div><div> </div><div>Saina, ranked eighth, believed she could soon regain her place in top-five bracket. <br /><br />“The last six months have been really good because I have been training hard. <br /><br />I am just waiting for a win and it will come soon. I know it is not going to be easy but I somehow feel I can get into top-5 soon.”<br /><br /></div><div>Kashyap, who has never won against Lee in three meetings, said he would do his best.<br /></div><div> </div><div>“Tomorrow it will be a big challenge. I need to be solid in my defence. He is a fast player so I need to control his speed,” he said. </div><div> </div><div>Meanwhile, former national champion Sayali Gokhale bowed to World No 5 Yeon Ju Bae 15-21, 8-21 while Trupti Murgunde lost to Indonesian Aprilla Yuswandari 13-21, 12-21.<br /><br /></div><div>The women’s doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa lost to Chinese Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei 13-21, 19-21.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Results (Second round, Indians unless mentioned): Men’s singles: 1-Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Sourabh Varma 21-9, 21-6; Parupalli Kashyap bt RMV Gurusaidutt 21-15, 16-21, 21-11; Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Suppanyu Avihingsanon 21-13, 23-21; 7-Du Pengyu (Chn) bt Sho Sasaki (Jpn) 21-19, 21-17; 4-Jan O Jorgensen (Den) bt Dong Keun Lee (Kor) 21-16, 21-11; 2-Chen Long (Chn) bt Brice Leverdez (Fra) 21-16, 21-15.<br /><br /></div><div>Women’s singles: 1-Li Xuerui (Chn) bt Nichaon Jindapon (Ind) 19-21, 21-17, 21-16; 5-Yeon Ju Bae (Kor) bt Sayali Gokhale 21-15, 21-8; Aprilla Yuswandari (Ina), Trupti Murgunde 21-13, 21-12; Xin Liu (Chn) bt Xue Yao (Chn) 21-16, 21-15; 8-Saina Nehwal bt Natcha Saengchote (Tha) 21-15, 21-12; 3-Yihan Wang (Chn) bt Shizuka Uchida (Jpn) 21-8, 13-21, 21-12; 6-Ji Hyun Sung (Kor) bt Minatsu Mitani (Jpn) 21-17, 21-15; 2-Shixian Wang (Chn) bt Sayaka Takahashi (Jpn) 21-17, 20-22, 21-12. <br /><br /></div><div>Women’s doubles (Indians only): 1-Christinna Pedersen/ Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) bt Dhanya Nair/ Mohita Sahdev 21-4, 21-9; 5-Qing Tain/ Yunlei Zha (Chn) bt Jwala Gutta/ Ashwini Ponnappa 21-13, 21-19.<br /></div></div>