Sameer, Saina, Kashyap in quarters

Defending champion Sameer Verma and former champions Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap progressed to the quarterfinals of the Syed Modi International World Super Tour 300 with contrasting victories here on Thursday.

Second-seeded Saina, who is a three-time winner of the Lucknow tournament, defeated Amolika Singh Sisodiya 21-14, 21-9 while 2012 and 2015 champion Kashyap recovered from a game down to see off Indonesia's Firman Abdul Kholik 9-21, 22-20, 21-8 in another match.

Third seed Sameer beat China's Zhao Junpeng 22-20, 21-17 and will meet China's Zhou Zeqi.

Saina will next face eighth-seeded compatriot Rituparna Das, who beat fellow Indian Shruti Mundada 21-11, 21-15 in a one-sided clash.

Kashyap will meet Thailand's Sitthikom Thammasin, seeded 8th.

B Sai Praneeth, seeded 4th, brushed aside Indonesia's Shesar Hiren Rhustavito 21-12, 21-10 and will take on China's Lu Guangzu, who ended the run of Saarlorlux champion Subhankar Dey with a 21-13, 21-10 win.

In women's singles, Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka notched up a 21-12, 21-15 win over compatriot Reshma Karthik 21-12, 21-15. She will square off against former Olympic champion Li Xuerui, seeded 7th.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa entered the last eight of mixed doubles by defeating compatriots Shivam Sharma and Poorvisha S Ram 12-21, 21-14, 21-15.