<p>Arvind Bhat, P Kashyap and Anup Sridhar led the challenge as India registered a thumping 3-0 win over Vietnam to enter the last four stage of the Asia Zone preliminary stage which ensured them a place in the finals of the Thomas Cup to be held in Kuala Lumpur from May 9-16.<br /><br />World number 30 Kashyap set the ball rolling for India when he bounced back to beat Nguyen Hoang Nam 20-22, 21-10, 21-18 in the first singles match.<br /><br />Senior team-mate Arvind then put India 2-0 ahead, beating Hieu Pham Cao 16-21, 21-7, 21-10 in the second singles.<br /><br />Olympian Sridhar sealed the issue in India’s favour when he brushed aside Huynh Vinh 21-13 21-6 in the next singles match, thereby making the last two doubles matches redundant. India will next play Korea in the semifinal on Friday.<br /><br />“We have achieved our first goal of reaching the semifinals, so we are now through to the final event in Kuala Lumpur. It was relatively easy today but tomorrow is going to be extremely difficult against Korea,” Sridhar said. <br /><br />“I and Kashyap took the court today as we were fresh. Tomorrow we will have a meeting in the morning and decide who will play,” he added. <br /><br />Earlier, Saina Nehwal-led Indian eves whitewashed Philippines 5-0 to keep their Uber Cup final hopes afloat.<br /><br />World number seven Saina spanked Alcala Malvinne Ann Venice 21-9, 21-13 to start the proceedings for India and then Sayali Ghokale made it 2-0 with an emphatic 21-9, 21-16 win over Castilo Gelita.<br /><br />National champion Trupti Murgunde also joined the party and trounced Nicole Magno Dia 21-4, 21-8 in just 17 minutes to continue the carnage.<br /><br />Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa then beat Alcala Malvinne Ann Venice and Castilo Gelita 21-15, 21-11 in the first doubles match and then Saina teamed up with Aparna Balan to beat Magno Dia Nicole and Cruz Jamila Fatima 21-9, 21-13 to complete the proceedings.<br /><br />The Indian women team will face Chinese Taipei in a do-or-die clash on Friday. <br /></p>
<p>Arvind Bhat, P Kashyap and Anup Sridhar led the challenge as India registered a thumping 3-0 win over Vietnam to enter the last four stage of the Asia Zone preliminary stage which ensured them a place in the finals of the Thomas Cup to be held in Kuala Lumpur from May 9-16.<br /><br />World number 30 Kashyap set the ball rolling for India when he bounced back to beat Nguyen Hoang Nam 20-22, 21-10, 21-18 in the first singles match.<br /><br />Senior team-mate Arvind then put India 2-0 ahead, beating Hieu Pham Cao 16-21, 21-7, 21-10 in the second singles.<br /><br />Olympian Sridhar sealed the issue in India’s favour when he brushed aside Huynh Vinh 21-13 21-6 in the next singles match, thereby making the last two doubles matches redundant. India will next play Korea in the semifinal on Friday.<br /><br />“We have achieved our first goal of reaching the semifinals, so we are now through to the final event in Kuala Lumpur. It was relatively easy today but tomorrow is going to be extremely difficult against Korea,” Sridhar said. <br /><br />“I and Kashyap took the court today as we were fresh. Tomorrow we will have a meeting in the morning and decide who will play,” he added. <br /><br />Earlier, Saina Nehwal-led Indian eves whitewashed Philippines 5-0 to keep their Uber Cup final hopes afloat.<br /><br />World number seven Saina spanked Alcala Malvinne Ann Venice 21-9, 21-13 to start the proceedings for India and then Sayali Ghokale made it 2-0 with an emphatic 21-9, 21-16 win over Castilo Gelita.<br /><br />National champion Trupti Murgunde also joined the party and trounced Nicole Magno Dia 21-4, 21-8 in just 17 minutes to continue the carnage.<br /><br />Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa then beat Alcala Malvinne Ann Venice and Castilo Gelita 21-15, 21-11 in the first doubles match and then Saina teamed up with Aparna Balan to beat Magno Dia Nicole and Cruz Jamila Fatima 21-9, 21-13 to complete the proceedings.<br /><br />The Indian women team will face Chinese Taipei in a do-or-die clash on Friday. <br /></p>