World C'ships: Saina, Sindhu march into quarters

India's shuttle queen Saina Nehwal progressed to the quarter-finals of the World Badminton Championships, beating Japan’s Sayaka Takahashi 21-18, 21-14, in Jakarta, on Thursday.

The London Olympics bronze medallist overcame the 14th-seeded Takahashi in 47 minutes.

Earlier, Saina showed glimpses of her imperious form while demolishing Hong Kong's Cheung Ngan Yi 21-13, 21-9 in her second round match.

Two-time bronze-medallist P V Sindhu stunned Olympic champion and former world No 1 Li Xuerui of China in a hard-fought women's singles match to also enter the quarter-finals.

Following this victory Sindhu moved a step closer to claiming a hat-trick of medals at the World Championships.

The 11th seeded Indian, who clinched the bronze medal in 2013 and 2014 editions of the tournament, won 21-17, 14-21, 21-17 in a battle that lasted 50 minutes.

Sindhu will next take on eighth seeded Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea. If she wins her quarter-final match she is assured of at least a bronze medal.

The world No 13, who spent most of her time this season nursing an injury and struggling for form, was her previous self against Xuerui. She made her intentions clear from the beginning as she opened with a 5-1 lead in the first game and never let her higher-ranked opponent catch up.

The closest the Chinese came was at 16-17 before Sindhu won three points on the trot to make it 20-16 and eventually close the opening game 21-17.

Xuerui, however, came back strongly in the second game. Using all her experience she dominated from the first point to steal it 21-14 and take the match to the decider.

In the third game, after breaking away from 3-3, Sindhu raced to a 11-6 lead at the break, but the Chinese kept breathing down her neck before drawing abreast at 13-13.

At 14-14, Sindhu won four successive points to open up a 18-14 lead. She just tightened the noose, did not let the advantage slip and sealed the issue rather comfortably in the end.