Top seed Tanvi Sharma storms into Vietnam Open quarters

NEW DELHI: Top seed Tanvi Sharma beat Thailand’s Passa-Orn Phannachet 26-24, 21-12 in the round of 16 at the Vietnam Open on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals. Tanvi will next face fellow Indian Malvika Bansod, who beat Thailand’s Tidapron Kleebyeesun 21-19, 21-14.

The opening game was a closely fought affair, with neither player able to establish a decisive advantage. Tanvi eventually held her nerve in the closing stages to take the game 26-24 after 20 minutes.

The World No. 27 made a fast start to the second game, racing to a 5-0 lead before taking an 11-4 advantage into the interval. She maintained control after the break and closed out the game 21-12 to complete the win in 36 minutes.

Tanvi had eased into the round of 16 with a 21-16, 21-17 victory over Canada’s Rachel Chan in the opening round.

The Indian is chasing her second title of the season after winning the Taipei Open in late July. She followed that triumph with a quarterfinal appearance at the Korea Masters.

At the China Masters Super 750 in Shenzhen earlier this month, Tanvi’s campaign ended in the round of 16 after she lost 17-21, 21-18, 16-21 to Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki.

In the men’s singles round of 16, Prannoy fought past Chinese Taipei’s Zhe Ying Wu 21-15, 13-21, 21-14 in 56 minutes to reach the last eight.

The third seed will take on compatriot Sanskar Saraswat who battled past sixth seed Kiran George 21-12, 10-21, 21-18. Agencies

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