CWG: Saina, Sindhu, Srikanth, Prannoy, Satwik-Ashwini in pre-quarters

India's star singles shuttlers and the mixed doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa advanced to the pre-quarterfinls of the 21st Commonwealth Games here on Wednesday.

Rio Olympics silver medallist P.V. Sindhu thrashed Fiji's Andra Whiteside 21-6, 21-3, while 2012 bronze medallist Saina Nehwal routed South African Elsie De Villiers 21-3, 21-1.

Three-time World championship medallist Sindhu will meet Wendy Chen Hsuan-yu in the next round, while Saina's challenger will be Jessica Li of the Isle of Man.

Sindhu didn't play any matches during India's gold medal-winning run in the mixed team competition.

She had suffered a minor ankle injury during training back home before leaving for Australia.

Third women's singles shuttler, Ruthvika Gadde beat Ghana's Grace Atipaka 21-15, 21-7. Ruthvika will meet Singapore's Jia Min Yeo in the next round.

In the men's singles Round-of-32, H.S. Prannoy beat Mauritius' Jean Paul Christopher 21-14, 21-6, while Kidambi Srikanth beat Mauritius' Aatish Lubah 21-13, 21-10.

On Thursday, Prannoy will battle it out with Anthony Joe, while Srikanth will face Niluka Karunaratne of Sri Lanka.

The mixed doubles pair of Satwik and Ashwini beat England's Ben Lane and Jessica Pugh 21-17, 21-16.

The Indian pair will meet Canada's Kristen Tsai and Nyl Yakura on Thursday for a place in the quarter-finals.

Satwik will also be in action in the men's doubles, partnering Chirag Shetty. They will take on Mauritius' Christopher and Lubah for a place in the quarter-finals.

Ashwini will also be seen playing in the women's doubles Round-of-16, partnering N. Sikki Reddy. The Indian pair will meet Singapore's Ong Ren-Ne and Jia Ying Crystal Wong

--IANS

pur/vm