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Top seeds find form to advance at Singapore Badminton Open

Women’s world No. 1 shuttler Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan in action against China’s Chen Xiaoxin in the round of 16 at the Singapore Badminton Open 2019. (PHOTO: Singapore Badminton Open)
Women’s world No. 1 shuttler Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan in action against China’s Chen Xiaoxin in the round of 16 at the Singapore Badminton Open 2019. (PHOTO: Singapore Badminton Open)

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Badminton Open may have lost its most well-known figure, after Lin Dan’s controversial exit on Wednesday (10 April), but at least it still has all its top-ranked players in contention after the round-of-16 action at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Thursday.

In the highly-competitive men’s singles competition, world No. 1 Kento Momota showed his pedigree by sailing through his last-16 tie against India’s H.S. Prannoy, winning 21-11, 21-11 in 37 minutes.

Compared to his tough, 75-minute win against 2017 Singapore Open winner Sai Praneeth in the previous round, this was a far more straightforward affair for the 24-year-old Japanese as he sets up a quarter-final tie against another Indian, world No. 6 Kidambi Srikanth.

The reigning All England champion said after his match, “My opponent is a well-rounded player, he has very good shots and high endurance. We had quite a few long rallies during the match. I made a lot of mistakes in my match the day before, but today’s game was much better and I am pleased with my performance.”

World No. 1 men’s shuttler Kento Momota of Japan in action against India’s H.S. Prannoy in the round of 16 at the Singapore Badminton Open. (PHOTO: Singapore Badminton Open)
World No. 1 men’s shuttler Kento Momota of Japan in action against India’s H.S. Prannoy in the round of 16 at the Singapore Badminton Open. (PHOTO: Singapore Badminton Open)

Olympic gold medallist, defending champion both advance

Reigning Olympic gold medallist Chen Long, on the other hand, laboured for 71 minutes before eventually seeing off India’s Parupalli Kashyap 21-9, 15-21, 21-16. It does not get easier for the Chinese, as he next faces Indonesian giant-killer Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, whom he has a losing head-to-head record against (three wins in eight encounters).

Defending champion and second-seed, Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan, advanced after beating Denmark’s Jan O Jorgensen 21-18, 21-10. He will play India’s Sameer Verma in the quarter-finals.

World No. 3 Viktor Axelsen, who was leading Lin before the Chinese walked off with apparently a thigh injury, edged out Thailand’s Kantaphon Wangcharoen 21-14, 15-21, 21-12. He sets up a mouth-watering clash with Asian Games gold medallist Jonatan Christie of Indonesia, whom he lost to in last week’s Malaysian Open.

He said, “I think it’s going to be tough, the stadium conditions here are tricky. I believe in myself, so hopefully, we’ll have a good one tomorrow. Obviously I lost to him last week, he is up-and-coming and I respect him a lot.”

No problem for women’s world No. 1

In the women’s singles, world No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying eased through her round-of-16 tie with China’s Chen Xiaoxin, winning in straight games 21-15, 21-18. She will meet South Korea’s world No. 7 Sung Ji Hyon in the quarter-finals.

The Taiwanese said, “I was pretty at ease today, as I felt my control was better. Compared to my opening-round match, I’m feeling much better today and will prepare well for tomorrow.”

The top seeds in the doubles competitions – the Indonesian men’s doubles pair of Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo, the Japanese women’s doubles pair of Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota, and the Chinese mixed doubles pair of Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong – all advanced without much trouble.

Singapore’s shuttlers were all eliminated on Thursday, with the exits of women’s doubles pair of Jaslyn Hooi/Crystal Wong and the men’s doubles duo of Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Loh Kean Hean.

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