Hylo Open: Sindhu, Lakshya advance to quarterfinals; Isharani, east of Malvika

PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen advanced to the quarterfinals of the Hylo Open Super 500 badminton tournament on Thursday, while compatriots Malvika Bansod and Isharani Baruah bowed out after straight-match defeats in Saarbrucken, Germany.

Two-time Olympic medalist Sindhu made light work of France’s Rosa Octavia Pancasari as she won 21-9, 21-6 in just 26 minutes in the second round of the women’s singles. The second seed dominated from the start, winning 42 of the 57 points played to seal a comfortable victory.

Sindhu carried her form from the French Open, where she finished second, to Germany. After defeating Prakriti Bharatha in the opening round, the former world champion will face Amalie Schulz in the quarterfinals.

Lakshya Sen had to work harder to book a place in the round of 16. The Indian defeated compatriot Kiran George 21-15, 18-21, 21-12 in a 54-minute encounter.

Sen took the opening game but George fought back to win the second and force a decision. However, Sen raised his level in the final game and pulled away to complete the victory and keep his campaign on track.

Sen will next face the winner of the match between Croatia’s Aria Dinata and Finland’s Kalle Koljonen.

MALVIKA, ISHARANI BEND OUT

Malvika Bansod could not find a way past Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang and lost 11-21, 17-21 in 31 minutes.

Malvika struggled in the opening game but showed more resilience in the second. However, she was unable to turn this fight into a deciding game as Zhang wrapped up the contest in straight games.

Isharani Baruah also suffered a straight-match defeat as she lost 14-21, 19-21 to Denmark’s eighth seed Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt in 39 minutes.

Isharani had a tough opening match, but in the second she put more pressure on her opponent. However, Kjaersfeldt held on in the closing stages and secured her place in the quarterfinals.

UNNATI HOODA, ANMOL KHARB NEXT IN ACTION

India’s campaign in the women’s singles draw could see further progress, with sixth seed Unnati Hooda set to face Denmark’s Frederikke Ostergaard. Anmol Kharb will face another Danish opponent, third seed Line Christophersen.

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