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Sindhu, Sameer progress to quarters, Kashyap ousted
P V Sindhu and Sameer Verma advanced to the quarter-finals of the Korea Super Series with straight game wins but Parupalli Kashyap bowed out of the US$600,000 event following a narrow defeat in the second round, in Seoul on Thursday.
Rio Olympic silver medallist Sindhu saw off Thailand's Nitchaon Jindapol 22-20, 21-17 to set up a clash with Japan's Minatsu Mitani.
Hong Kong Super Series finalist and Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold winner, Sameer defeated Hong Kong's Wong Wing Ki Vincent 21-19, 21-13 in 41 minutes and he will need to raise his game by a few notches when he faces local hot favourite Son Wan Ho.
However, Son Wan had to dig deep to end Kashyap's run in the men's singles. He battled for an hour and 16 minutes before getting the better off the Indian 21-16, 17-21, 21-16 to reach the last-eight stage.
World No 4 Sindhu, a silver medallist at the Glasgow World Championship, had come into the match with a 1-1 record against Jindapol, who had beaten the Indian at Syed Modi International last year.
Sindhu had to battle hard in the opening game as World No. 16 Jindapol grabbed a 9-7 and 13-10 lead but the Indian broke off at 14-16 with six straight points.
The Thai shuttler drew parity before Sindhu closed the issue.
The second game was also a close contest with both the shuttlers locked in a duel initially till 8-8. Sindhu then moved ahead and grabbed a 12-9 lead.
Jindapol clawed her way back and was locked at 15-15 with Sindhu but the Indian eventually held her own and had the last laugh.