Kashyap enters Singapore Open semis

Singapore, April 10: Indian shuttler Parupalli Kashyap came out with a brilliant performance to defeat France’s Brice Leverdez and enter the $300,000 Singapore Open Superseries men’s singles semi-fils with a straight games victory here on Friday.

The Commonwealth Games champion took just half an hour at the Singapore Indoor Stadium to win 21-6, 21-17 in the quarter-fil and take a 2-1 lead in career meetings against the World No.32.

The Hyderabadi will next take on Hong Kong’s Hu Yun in the last four on Saturday. Though Hu has a 2-1 advantage over the Indian, Kashyap came out on top the last time the two played at the 2013 World Championships.

Meanwhile, H.S. Prannoy had to give a walkover to Japan’s Kento Momota as he is nursing a big toe injury on his left foot which he suffered during his second round win against World No.2 Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark on Thursday.

The 28-year-old Kashyap looked in total control throughout the match, winning 42 of the 65 available points.

Kashyap remained in-charge at the start of the first game with a 9-6 lead, and totally decimated the French by winning the next 12 points to seal the game and take the lead.

Though Leverdez upped his performance in the second game, he still remained way behind Kashyap, who easily marched into the semis. IANS