India to face China and Korea in Badminton Asia Team quarterfinals

India will meet China in the women’s quarterfinals and Korea in the men’s last-eight stage of the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Qingdao. Ayush Shetty, Satwik-Chirag and Tanvi Sharma impressed, but both teams lost their final group matches

Hyderabad: Defending champion India will take on China in the women’s quarterfinals while the men will face Korea in the last-eight stage of the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Qingdao, China on Thursday.

Having qualified for the quarterfinal with a match to spare in the group stage, the Indian men rested Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth against Japan but still put up a strong performance before going down 2-3 to finish second in Group C.

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The women’s team also lost by an identical margin against Thailand.

Playing the first singles against Kenta Nishimoto, former world junior bronze medallist Ayush Shetty gave India the winning start as he dominated the third game to win 21-18, 15-21, 21-11. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty then doubled India’s advantage with a 21-18, 15-21, 21-12 win over Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi.

However, the momentum shifted after HS Prannoy lost in straight games to Yushi Tanaka 17-21, 11-21, and Japan clinched the second men’s doubles and third singles to secure the top spot in the group.

Earlier in the morning session, the Indian women’s team could not build on the winning momentum generated by world junior championship silver medallist Tanvi Sharma and the doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand.

Tanvi, playing the first singles in the absence of former world champion PV Sindhu, showed why she is considered the future of Indian badminton as she held her nerve after losing a close second game to beat world No 16 Busanan 21-14, 17-21, 21-18 in an hour and three minutes.

Treesa and Gayatri then quelled the challenge from Tidapron Kleebyeesun and Nattamon Laisuan 21-14, 20-22, 21-11 to hand India a 2-0 lead. But things did not go India’s way thereafter, as Rakshitha Sree and Malvika Bansod lost their singles matches, and the scratch pair of Tanisha Crasto and Shruti Mishra went down 21-19, 14-21, 15-21 against Hathaithip Mijad and Napapakorn Tungkasatan in the second doubles.