Top seed Jayaram marches into Dutch Open semis

Two-time defending champion Ajay Jayaram of India remained on course for a third straight title triumph as he sailed into the men's singles final of Dutch Open badminton, in Almere, Netherlands, on Saturday.

With his 21-18, 13-21, 21-13 win over Denmark's Anders Antonsen, Jayaram thus continued his dominating run in the $ 55,000 Grand Prix tournament.

The 29-year-old took 59 minutes to get the better of his fifth seeded opponent from Denmark.

Top seed Jayaram, who has clinched this title three times in his career, had earlier notched up a 21-15 21-18 win over Brazil's Ygor Coelho De Oliveira, seeded eighth, in a 32-minute match at the Top sport centrum, Almere.

Indian combo of Pranaav Cherry Chopra and Sikki Reddy, however, lost to Denmark's Soren Gravholt and Maiken Feuergaard 19-21, 16-21 in the mixed doubles semi-finals.

Photograph: Indian Badminton League