Badminton Asia C'ships: Nehwal, Sindhu ease into quarters

Star Indian shuttler PV Sindhu, who clinched a silver medal at the recently-concluded 21st edition of the Commonwealth Games, eased past China's Chen Xiaox in straight games to storm into the quarter-finals of the Badminton Asia Championships 2018 here on Thursday.

Third-seed Sindhu looked dominant throughout the match as she clinched a convincing 21-12, 21-15 win over her Chinese opponent in a clash that lasted 44 minutes.

Sindhu will now lock horns with the winner of other second-round clash between Thailand's Busanan Ongbumrungpan and seventh-seed Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea.

In another women's singles clash, 2018 Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Saina Nehwal also booked her place in the last-eight after thrashing Gao Fangjie of China in 21-18, 21-8 in 40 minutes.

 

Nehwal will now take on Lee Jang Mi of Korea for a place in the semi-finals.

Earlier, on the last day of the Commonwealth Games, Nehwal defeated her compatriot Sindhu by straight games 21-18, 23-21 in a high-octane clash to grab gold medal in the all-Indian finals to clinch gold in the badminton competition.

As a result, Sindhu had to settle with a silver medal.

It should be noted that Nehwal had also guided the star-studded Indian badminton team to their maiden gold in the mixed-team event of the prestigious multi-sport Games.