India's star shuttler Parupalli Kashyap and teen sensation PV Sindhu stormed into the semi-finals of the men's and women's singles respectively in the US$ 120,000 Syed Modi Indian Grand Prix Gold tournament in Lucknow, on Friday.
Kashyap, the 2012 Olympic quarter-finalist, survived a scare from the unheralded Malaysian Soon Huat Goh before scoring a 21-23, 21-8, 21-16 win.
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Earlier, Sindhu, the women's world No. 23 and second seed in the tournament was hardly tested in her 21-13, 21-17 win over Indonesia's Febby Angguni.
"There were a lot of rallies in the game. Yet I played my game and I'm happy to enter the semifinals," 17-year-old Sindhu said after the match.
However, as many as three Indian challengers fell by the wayside in the men's singles quarter-finals. The day's proceedings began on the back foot for the hosts as India's K Srikanth lost 21-16, 21-12 to the 14th seed Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand in just 35 minutes.
Thereafter, the script remained unchanged in the round of eight as hopes continued to be dashed for the local fans.
The shuttlers from Indonesia with a much higher BWF rankings, proved unassailable in front of the Indian challengers in both skill and mind games, though full marks to the latter for putting up stiff resistance till the last minute.
Third seed Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia beat India's RMV Gurusaidutt 19-21, 22-20, 21-16 to enter the semis while fifth seed Alamsyah Yunus overcame HS Prannoy 18-21, 21-10, 21-12 in a match which lasted for more than an hour. However, it wasn't a smooth sailing for Sugiarto, who earned a yellow card from the referee, for wasting time.
"He (Tommy) was taking too much time in the break which was hindering my game and the flow," Gurusaidutt said.
In the women's singles, the third seed from Thailand Sapsiree Taerattanachai had an easy outing against the fifth seed Indonesian Aprilla Yuswandari, winning 21-16, 21-11 in 40 minutes to dash into the semi-final.
Joining her in the last four was the Japanese sixth seed and a crowd favourite Nozomi Okuhara, who beat Malaysian Sannatasah Saniru 21-17, 21-12. The last semi-final slot went to Indonesia's Lindaweni Fanetri, who edged past Thailand's Nichaon Jindapon 21-15, 10-21, 21-12.
In the mixed doubles, the Korean pair of Ji Wook Kang and Sang Joon Lee upset the sixth seed Indonesian pair of Andrei Adistia and Christopher Rusdianto 21-18, 22-20.
However, Indonesians Fran Kurniawan and Shendy Puspa Irawati moved to the next stage, trouncing their Thai opponents, Patiphat Chalardchaleam and Jongkonphan Kittiharakul 21-15, 21-16 in just 30 minutes.
Thai pair of Nipitphon Puangpuapech and Savitree Amitrapai received a walkover from the French duo of Baptiste Careme and Audrey Fontaine.
