Huelva (Spain), Dec. 16 (IANS): India's PV Sindhu has stormed into the women's singles quarter-finals here on Thursday, beating Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong in straight sets.
Playing an early morning match at the Palacio de los Deportes Carolina Marín, Sindhu emerged 21-14, 21-18 winner to set up a last-eight clash with World No 1 and old nemesis Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei, who needed three games to overcome Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland 21-10, 19-21, 21-11 in the pre-quarterfinals on Thursday,
Sindhu, the defending World Champion as she won the title when the event was last held in 2018, started off superbly, engaging her rival in long rallies and slowly building up momentum. After the initial exchanges, Sindhu took a 5-1 lead and slowly extended it, and make it 14-9. She went on to win the first game 21-14.
In the second game, scores went neck and neck., After a goos tarrt the 11-4. She won four consecutive points and surged ahead with a score of 19-16 before winning the second game at 21-17.
Meanwhile, the Indian doubles pair of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila were ousted in straight games by Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Suzonov of the Russian badminton federation. Arjun and Dhruv lost 11-21, 16-21 in 41 minutes.