Top seed Saina Nehwal has progressed through to the quarterfinals of the USD 120,000 Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament after trouncing a gritty Kristina Gavnholt of Czech Republic in the women's singles event in Basel.
The ace Indian shuttler, who turned 26 on Thursday, claimed a 21-18, 21-17 win over Kristina in a contest that lasted 34 minutes on Thursday night. She will next face Japanese seventh seed Sayaka Sato for a semifinal berth.
On Thursday, Saina dropped three places to sixth in the latest BWF world rankings following a quarterfinal loss at the All England Championship.
She battled through injuries last year and had to miss out on a few tournaments this season, including the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold and South Asian Games.
Meanwhile, compatriot P.V Sindhu also booked her place in the quarterfinals of the tournament after brushing aside Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei in the women's singles event earlier in the day.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app