Sai, Jwala-Ashwini, Manu-Sumeeth in US Open semis

New York, June 20: Indian singles shuttler B. Sai Praneeth and the doubles pairs of Manu Attri/B. Sumeeth Reddy and Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponppa advanced to the semifils of the $120,000 US Open Grand Prix Gold at the Suffolk County Community College here. Sixteenth seed Sai eased past Hong Kong’s 12th seed NG Ka Long Angus 21-8 21-14 in 32 minutes on Friday. With this win, Sai equalised 1-1 in their career meetings against Angus. The world No.38 Indian will face former world No.1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia for a place in the fil. Two-time Olympics silver medallist Chong Wei got the better of 2010 Commonwealth Games champion Rajiv Ouseph of England with a 21-9, 21-14 victory. Men’s doubles combine Manu-Sumeeth beat English duo of Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge 22-20, 21-13 in 42 minutes. The Indian pair will next take on Japanese fourth seeds Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda in the semi-fil.

Later, women’s doubles fourth seeds Jwala-Ashwini took just 28 minutes to move past Germany’s seventh seeds Johan Goliszewski and Carla Nelte 21-17, 21-14.

The 2011 World Championships bronze medal-winning pair of Jwala-Ashwini will next face Japanese pair of Ayane Kurihara and ru Shinoya in the last four contest. IANS