Guru, Praneeth, Tarun-Sikki reach Singapore Open main draw

SINGAPORE: Commonwealth Games bronze medallist RMV Gurusaidutt and young B Sai Praneeth advanced to the main draw of Singapore Open Super Series badminton tournament after notching up contrasting wins in the men's singles qualifiers, here today.

Gurusaidutt outsmarted Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana 18-21 21-18 21-18 in the first round and then tamed Chinese Taipei's Tzu Wei Wang 21-9 21-13 to make it to the main draw.

Praneeth, too, produced some scintillating performance in the qualifiers, edging out Denmark's Rasmus Fladberg 18-21 21-18 21-12 first and then disposed off Malaysia Zulfadli Zulkiffli after his rival retired midway at 11-6.

Kona Tarun and N Sikki Reddy, who won titles at Uganda and Romania last month, also made it to the main draw after twin victories in the qualifiers.

Tarun and Sikki defeated Singapore's Jian Liang Lee and Jia Ying Crystal Wong 21-11 21-12 in the opening round and then beat Malaysian combo of Mohd Razif Abdul Latif and Sannatasah Saniru 21-11 21-17 in the next round.

However, it was curtains for Ajay Jayaram, who had conjured up hopes of reaching the main draw after winning his opening round against Malaysia's Daren Liew 21-13 14-21 21-17. But the Bangalore shuttler lost to Simon Santoso of Indonesia 16-21 18-21 in the second round to crash out of the tournament.

Meanwhile, World No. 4 Kidambi Srikanth, Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap and Indonesia Masters winner H S Prannoy will start their campaign tomorrow in the men's singles competition.

India ace Saina Nehwal has withdraw from the tournament in order to recharge her batteries for the upcoming events.