Ashmita Chaliha, Rakshitha Sree set up all-Indian Korea Masters semifinal

Ashmita Chaliha and Rakshitha Sree S.R. recorded impressive victories over higher-ranked opponents to set up an all-Indian women's singles semifinal at the Korea Masters in Asan. India's men's doubles challenge ended after Pruthvi K. Roy and Krishna Prasad G. lost in the quarterfinals

Hyderabad: The experienced Ashmita Chaliha and youngster Rakshitha Sree SR upset their higher ranked opponents to set up an All-Indian women’s singles semifinals in the Korea Masters badminton tournament in Asan on Friday.

Ashmita packed off top seed Hina Akechi of Japan 20-22, 21-15, 21-19 while Rakshitha got the better of Chinese Taipei Open champion Tanvi Sharma 18-21, 21-19, 21-18 in another gruelling quarterfinal clash.

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Ashmita and Rakshitha, who both ended up playing for over an hour in the quarterfinals, will now face each other in the last four round with the winner likely to take on fourth seed Han Qian Xi of China or the unseeded Kim Ga Ram of South Korea.

It was however an end of the road for the men’s doubles combination of Pruthvi K Roy and Krishna Prasad G as they went down 21-7, 21-8 against Malaysia’s Man Wei Chong and Soh Wooi Yik in the quarterfinals.