Saina Nehwal, Ira Sharma and K. Srikanth advanced to the quarterfinals of the Orleans Masters badminton tournament here on Thursday.
Running against time to make it to her fourth Olympics, Saina recovered from an opening game reversal to see off Marie Batomene of France 18-21, 21-15, 21-10 at the Super 100 event, which is part of BWF’s revised Olympic qualification period. Ira, ranked 162, made it to the last eight after beating Bulgaria’s World No. 71 Mariya Mitsova 21-18, 21-13.
Among the men, top-seeded K. Srikanth dispatched Malaysian Cheam June Wei 21-17, 22-20 but Chirag Sen bowed out after losing 21-14, 9-21, 17-21 against Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus of Denmark.
Kiran George’s fine run ended with a defeat to Brice Leverdez 15-21, 21-14, 19-21.
In men’s doubles, M.R. Arjun and Dhruv Kapila made the last eight after beating the English duo of Rory Easton and Zach Russ 21-11, 21-12, while Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnu Vardhan Goud Panjala dismissed Kristian Hoholdt Kramer and Marcus Rinshoj of Denmark 21-7, 21-13.
Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy advanced to the quarterfinals on a walkover from the Indonesian duo of Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma & Amalia Cahaya.
The results (pre-quarterfinals): Men: K. Srikanth bt Cheam June Wei (Mas) 21-17, 22-20; Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus (Den) bt Chirag Sen 14-21, 21-9, 21-17; Brice Leverdez (Fra) bt Kiran George 21-15, 14-21, 21-19.
Doubles: M.R. Arjun & Dhruv Kapila bt Rory Easton & Zach Russ (Eng) 21-11, 21-12; Krishna Prasad Garaga & Vishnu Vardhan Goud Panjala bt Kristian Hoholdt Kramer & Marcus Rinshoj (Den) 21-7, 21-13.
Women: Saina Nehwal bt Marie Batomene (Fra) 18-21, 21-15, 21-10; Ira Sharma bt Mariya Mitsova (Bul) 21-18, 21-13.
Doubles: Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy bt Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma & Amalia Cahaya (Ina) walkover.
Mixed doubles: Dhruv Kapila & Ashwini Ponnappa bt Callum Hemming & Victoria Williams 21-12, 21-18.