Treesa-Gayatri through to pre-quarters Sindhu out; Prannoy through to third round

COPENHAGEN: Indian women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand produced a solid performance to advance to the pre-quarterfinals of the World Championships with a straight-game win over Chang Ching Hui and Yang Ching Tun of Chinese Taipei here on Wednesday.

Men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also advanced to the pre-quarterfinals with a comfortable straight-game win over Australian duo of Kenneth Zhe Hooi Choo and Ming Chuen Lim on Wednesday.

World No. 2 pair of Satwik and Chirag, who had won a maiden bronze in the last edition, produced a clinical display to see off their Australian rivals 21-16, 21-9 in 30 minutes.

The reigning Commonwealth Games champions, who have won four titles this season, will face Indonesia’s 10th seeds Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin next.

World number 19 Gayatri and Treesa, who reached the semifinals of the All England Championships in the last two editions, beat Chang and Yang, ranked 37th, 21-18 21-10 in 38 minutes.

The Commonwealth Games bronze winners, who had received a bye in the first round, will face an uphill task against top seed Chinese Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan in their next round.

Former champion PV Sindhu’s wretched run continued as she bowed out of the World Championships, but HS Prannoy produced commanding performances to enter the third roundon Tuesday.

The most successful Indian at World Championships with five medals, Sindhu lacked any sting in her attack and went down tamely 14-21, 14-21 to old nemesis Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, a 2017 gold medallist and silver winner in 2019.

It is the first time in her career that Sindhu, seeded 16th, has failed to reach the quarterfinals at the prestigious tournament.

In men’s singles, world No 9 Prannoy produced a masterclass as he tamed Indonesia’s Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo 21-9, 21-14 to set up a clash with 2021 champion, Loh Kean Yew of Singapore. Agencies

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