Swiss Open: HS Prannoy beats Qiao Bin, qualifies for quarterfinals

Basel: Defending champion H S Prannoy eked out a thrilling win over China's Qiao Bin to advance to the quarterfinals of the USD 120,000 Swiss Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament, here today.

The fifth seeded Indian, who had a 3-1 head-to-head record against his opponent, staved off a challenge from the 10th seeded Chinese 9-21 23-21 21-15 in a match that lasted an hour and 12 minutes.

World No. 23 Prannoy, who had trounced Scotland's Kieran Merrrilees 21-17 21-19 yesterday, will now meet the winner of the match between China's Shi Yuqi, who reached the finals at All England last week, and Denmark's Anders Antonsen.

Iceland International winner Subhankar Dey, who had also advanced to the pre-quarterfinals with a 21-17 21-18 win over Slovenia's Iztok Utrosa, found the going tough against Kanta Tsuneyama and suffered a 19-21 14-21 loss to the Japanese in a 42-minute clash.

After being completely outplayed in the opening game, Prannoy fought back from 15-18 down to clinch the second game.

In the decider, the Indian zoomed to a 8-3 lead early on and kept his nose ahead to win in comfortably.

Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy, who clinched their maiden Grand Prix Gold title at Syed Modi Internationals in January, had reached the third round of the mixed doubles event after their opponents Sweden's Nico Ruponen and Amanda Hogstrom gave them a walkover.

Tsuneyama, who won the Austrian Open this year, ended the campaign of another Indian Sameer Verma, defeating him 16-21 21-15 21-13 yesterday.

In the opening round, Rio Olympians Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy suffered a 15-21 19-21 loss to top seeded Chinese combo of Chai Biao and Hong Wei last night.

It was also curtains for Sri Krishna Priya Kudaravalli in women's singles after she lost 18-21 8-21 to seventh seeded Indonesian Fitriani Fitriani.

Women's doubles pair of Sanjana Santosh and Arathi Sara Sunil also crashed out after suffering a 15-21 15-21 loss to German combo of Johanna Goliszewski and Lara Kaepplein.

Mixed doubles pair of Rohan Kapoor and Sanjana also lost 16-21 19-21 to France pair of Bastian Kersaudy and Lea Palermo.