Badminton: Jayaram outclasses Pawar to enter US Open semis

It was a tough day for the Indian shuttlers barring Ajay Jayaram, who sailed into the men's singles semi-finals with a comfortable win over compatriot Anand Pawar in the US Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament in El Monte.

Fourth seed Jayaram eased past Pawar 21-11, 21-11 in straight games in the quarter-finals on Friday.

The 28-year-old will play Japan's Kanta Tsuneyama for a place in the final of the US$ 120,000 tournament.

However, India had a bad outing in the men's doubles with Rio Olympics-bound Manu Attri and B Sumeeth losing to the Japanese combine of Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi 21-18, 7-21, 16-21 in a match lasting 52 minutes.

The women's doubles pairing of Poorvisha Ram and Jakkampudi Meghana also failed to advance after being defeated by the US pairing of Paula Lynn Obanana and Eva Lee, 21-15, 21-12.

Image: Ajay Jayaram

Photograph: PTI