India suffered a misfortune in the mixed doubles but gained as P.Kashyap gave them plenty to cheer about in the quarterfinals of the individual events for badminton at the Commonwealth Games.
Jwala Gutta/D.Viju, who are the second seeds were sent packing by a clinical display of attacking badminton by Malaysian scratch pair of Koo Kien Keat/Chin Ee Hui, who won 21-13,21-19.
But the pain of the Indian spectators was somewhat soothed when Kashyap played very well to oust the 4th seed, Malaysia’s Muhd Hafiz Hashim with a 19-21,21-19,21-16 score line.
Kashyap was in his element despite losing the first set 19-21. Though he led for several spells in the first set, he could not pull away to win. But he did not make such a mistake in the second, engaging Hafiz in net play and won the set 21-19.
In the decider, Kashyap took and early lead at 6-2 but Hafiz fought back gallantly to draw level. But Kashypa once again pulled away to lead 17-13. Though Hafiz managed to reduce the deficit to within a point, the strain of playing catch up soon caught to him as he succumbed 21-16.
“My plan was to win the first set but it did not happen. I kept my focus and smashed my way through the second and benefited from my opponents unforced errors. It is a good win and gives me confidence against Rajiv in the semis. We have only met once in Touluse, and I lost due to injury. But I am better prepared this time around,” said Kashyap.
Kashyap will meet the second seed, Rajiv Ouseph of England in the last four after the Englishman had it surprisingly easy against Singapore’s Derek Wong, winning 21-13,21-15.
Chetan Anand joined his teammate in the semis after he defeated Carl Baxter of England 21-17, 21-9. Chetan will however find it difficult to match his semis opponent, world number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia.
Chong Wei defeated Singapore’s Ashton Chen Yong Zhao 21-13, 21-11 and looks virtually unstoppable.
Koo/Chin were in superb form as they attacked relentlessly, with Jwala not getting much breaks at the net where she is normally deadly. The two pairs battled point for point in the first set, with the Malaysians leading 11-8 at the break.
They went on to win the set with relative ease, 21-13. And the second was much closer with the Indian pair leading 7-5 at one stage. But Koo/Chin pulled their act together and although it was a titanic battle, with only one point separating the pairs, Koo/Chin kept their composure to win 21-19.
“It was not easy for us as we both have to play four matches today as we are also involved in the doubles. But I was confident that we could beat the Indians. The semis will be a different story altogether as the Singaporeans are sound in every department. But we have the edge having beaten them in the team event,” said Koo.
The Malaysians will take on Chayut Triyachart/Yao Lei of Singapore in the semis. Chayut/Yao had come from a set down to defeat Anthony Clark/Heather Olver of England 19-21,21-8, 21-12 in their quarterfinal.
The other semifinals will see top seeds Nathan Robertson/Jenny Wallwork battling it out with another Malaysian pair, Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying.
Nathan/Jenny were taken to the wire by Scotland’s Watson Briggs/Imogen Bankier and eventually won 22-20, 23-21. And it was no different for Chan/Goh as they needed three sets before getting the better of another English pair, Chris Addock/Gabrielle White, to register a 22-20, 16-21, 21-11 win.
The women’s singles saw all the seeded players making it into the semis with Saina Nehwal of India taking Susan Egelstaff of Scotland while Wong Mew Choo of Malaysia will play Elizabeth Cann of England.
Jwala Gutta/D.Viju, who are the second seeds were sent packing by a clinical display of attacking badminton by Malaysian scratch pair of Koo Kien Keat/Chin Ee Hui, who won 21-13,21-19.
But the pain of the Indian spectators was somewhat soothed when Kashyap played very well to oust the 4th seed, Malaysia’s Muhd Hafiz Hashim with a 19-21,21-19,21-16 score line.
Kashyap was in his element despite losing the first set 19-21. Though he led for several spells in the first set, he could not pull away to win. But he did not make such a mistake in the second, engaging Hafiz in net play and won the set 21-19.
In the decider, Kashyap took and early lead at 6-2 but Hafiz fought back gallantly to draw level. But Kashypa once again pulled away to lead 17-13. Though Hafiz managed to reduce the deficit to within a point, the strain of playing catch up soon caught to him as he succumbed 21-16.
“My plan was to win the first set but it did not happen. I kept my focus and smashed my way through the second and benefited from my opponents unforced errors. It is a good win and gives me confidence against Rajiv in the semis. We have only met once in Touluse, and I lost due to injury. But I am better prepared this time around,” said Kashyap.
Kashyap will meet the second seed, Rajiv Ouseph of England in the last four after the Englishman had it surprisingly easy against Singapore’s Derek Wong, winning 21-13,21-15.
Chetan Anand joined his teammate in the semis after he defeated Carl Baxter of England 21-17, 21-9. Chetan will however find it difficult to match his semis opponent, world number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia.
Chong Wei defeated Singapore’s Ashton Chen Yong Zhao 21-13, 21-11 and looks virtually unstoppable.
Koo/Chin were in superb form as they attacked relentlessly, with Jwala not getting much breaks at the net where she is normally deadly. The two pairs battled point for point in the first set, with the Malaysians leading 11-8 at the break.
They went on to win the set with relative ease, 21-13. And the second was much closer with the Indian pair leading 7-5 at one stage. But Koo/Chin pulled their act together and although it was a titanic battle, with only one point separating the pairs, Koo/Chin kept their composure to win 21-19.
“It was not easy for us as we both have to play four matches today as we are also involved in the doubles. But I was confident that we could beat the Indians. The semis will be a different story altogether as the Singaporeans are sound in every department. But we have the edge having beaten them in the team event,” said Koo.
The Malaysians will take on Chayut Triyachart/Yao Lei of Singapore in the semis. Chayut/Yao had come from a set down to defeat Anthony Clark/Heather Olver of England 19-21,21-8, 21-12 in their quarterfinal.
The other semifinals will see top seeds Nathan Robertson/Jenny Wallwork battling it out with another Malaysian pair, Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying.
Nathan/Jenny were taken to the wire by Scotland’s Watson Briggs/Imogen Bankier and eventually won 22-20, 23-21. And it was no different for Chan/Goh as they needed three sets before getting the better of another English pair, Chris Addock/Gabrielle White, to register a 22-20, 16-21, 21-11 win.
The women’s singles saw all the seeded players making it into the semis with Saina Nehwal of India taking Susan Egelstaff of Scotland while Wong Mew Choo of Malaysia will play Elizabeth Cann of England.
Quarterfinal Results
Men’s Singles
Lee Chong Wei (MAS) v Ashton Chen Yong Zhao (SIN) 21-13, 21-11
Chetan Anand (IND) bt Carl Baxter (ENG) 21-17, 21-9
P. Kashyap (IND) bt Muhd Hafiz Hashim (MAS) 19-21, 21-19, 21-16
Rajiv Ouseph (ENG) bt Derek Wong (SIN) 21-13, 21-15
Women’s Singles
Saina Nehwal (IND) bt Anna Rice (CAN) 21-7, 21-10
Susan Egelstaff (SCO) bt Huang Chia Chi (AUS) 21-18, 21-15
Elizabeth Cann (ENG) bt Michelle Li (CAN) 21-14, 19-21, 21-16
Wong Mew Choo (MAS) bt Aditi Mutatkar (IND) 21-8, 21-12
Mixed Doubles
Chayut Triyachart/Yao Lei (SIN) bt Anthony Clark/Heather Olver 19-21,21-8, 21-12
Koo Kien Keat/Chin Ee Hui (MAS) bt Jwala Gutta/V.Diju (IND) 21-13,21-19
Nathan Robertson/Jenny Wallwork (ENG) bt Watson Briggs/Imogen Bankier (SCO) 22-20, 23-21
Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying (MAS) bt Chris Addock/Gabrielle White (ENG) 22-20, 16-21, 21-11
Mens Doubles
Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong (MAS) bt Oliver Leydon Davis/Henry Tam (NZL) 21-16, 21-13
Hendra Wijaya/Hendri Kurniawan (SIN) bt Watson Briggs/Paul van Rietvelde (SCO) 21-11, 22-20
Chayut Triyachart/Derek Wong (SIN) bt Rupesh Kumar/Thomas Sanave (IND) 21-16, 21-15
Anthony Clark/Nathan Robertson (ENG) bt Muhd Hafiz Hashim/Chan Peng Soon (MAS) 21-8, 21-7
Womens Doubles
Sari Shinta Mulia/Yao Lei (SIN) bt Leanne Choo/Renuga Veeran (AUS) 21-18, 17-21, 21-17
Jenny Wallwork/Gabrielle White (ENG) bt Lydia Cheah/Goh Liu Ying (MAS) 21-15, 16-21, 21-13
Kate Wilson Smith/He Tang Tien (AUS) bt Danielle Barry/Donna Haliday (NZL) 21-12, 21-6
Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponnappa (IND) bt Mariana Agathangelou/Olver Heather (ENG) 21-9, 21-14
Semi Final Match Ups
Mens Singles
Lee Chong Wei (MAS) v Chetan Anand (IND)
P. Kashyap (IND) v Rajiv Ouseph (ENG)
Womens Singles
Saina Nehwal (IND) v Susan Egelstaff
Wong Mew Choo (MAS) v Elizabeth Cann (ENG)
Mens Doubles
Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong (MAS) v Hendra Wijaya/Hendri Kurniawan (SIN)
Chayut Triyachart/Derek Wong (SIN) v Anthony Clark/Nathan Robertson (ENG)
Womens Doubles
Jenny Wallwork/Gabrielle White (ENG) v Sari Shinta Mulia/Yao Lei (SIN)
Jwala Gutta/Ashwini Ponnappa (IND) v Kate Wilson Smith/He Tang Tien (AUS)
Mixed Doubles
Chayut Triyachart/Yao Lei (SIN) v Koo Kien Keat/Chin Ee Hui (MAS)
Nathan Robertson/Jenny Wallwork (ENG) v Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying (MAS)
