Australian Open: Manu Attri-Sumeeth Reddy advance to semifinals

Mannu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy remain the only shuttlers representing India at Australian Open Super 300 after Sai Praneeth, Sameer Verma crashed out.

Manu Attri B Sumeeth Reddy, Manu Attri B Sumeeth Reddy badminton, Manu Attri B Sumeeth Reddy Rio Olympics Badminton, Manu Attri B Sumeeth Reddy badminton, Rio 2016 Olympics, Rio Olympics, Rio, Olympics, Badminton

Manu Attri and B. Sumeeth Reddy have reached Australian Open semifinals. (Source: Reuters)

Mannu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy remain the only shuttlers representing India at Australian Open Super 300 after Sai Praneeth, Sameer Verma crashed out in the men’s singles on Friday. Men’s doubles pair Mannu and Sumeeth qualified for the semifinals after edging past compatriots Arjun MR and Shlok Ramchandran in three games.

Mannu-Sameeth beat lesser experienced Arjun-Shlok 17-21, 21-19, 21-18. The Indian pair will now take on top seeds Berry Angriawan and Hardianto Hardianto of Indonesia in the semi-finals.

Second seed Praneeth fell down 21-23, 13-21 to Lee Cheuk Yiu, who is seventh seed and had earlier defeated India’s Lakshya Sen in the first round. Even though Praneeth showed some resilience by taking lead at mid-game interval of the second game, Lee won seven points in a row to register a win.

Story continues below this ad

Earlier in the day, Sameer also went down in his quarterfinals round to World No. 165 Lu Guangzu in straight games. Sameer went down 21-14 in the first game after Lu won six straight points after mid-game break. The second game proved even harder for the Indian shuttler who went from a 5-3 trail to 15-3 as the Chinese won 10 straight points.

India’s campaign had already ended in the women’s singles with defeats of Vaishnavi Reddy Jakka and Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka.