Jayaram stuns Axelsen, in quarters

Kuching (Malaysia), April 6 

Ajay Jayaram entered the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Open Super Series with a hard-fought victory over Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen here today. The unseeded Indian shuttler stunned Axelsen, who won the Indian Open title last Sunday,  9-21 21-14 21-19 in a match that lasted 44 minutes. Jayaram will take on South Korea’s Son Wan Ho, seeded fifth, in his next match.

After going down tamely in the opening game, Jayaram got his act together and took an early lead in the second game at 8-3. The Dane caught up with him at 11-11 but the Chennai boy broke away to open up a comfortable six-point lead (18-12). Even for a player as talented as the Dane, the lead was a little too big to bridge. He, of course, tried but the Indian had moved too far ahead and wrapped up the game 21-14.

Despite starting off well in the decider and having a slight edge till the break, Jayaram conceded the advantage when Axelsen caught up with him at 12-12. From thereon, two stayed neck and neck right until the end. At 18-18, it was anybody’s game but the Indian handled the pressure better than his fancied opponent and managed to create an upset by clinching the game 21-19. 

Sindhu is World No. 2 

PV Sindhu jumped three places to achieve a career-best world No. 2 ranking in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released today. The 21-year-old shuttler from Hyderabad is only the second Indian woman after Saina Nehwal to break into the top-five. —  PTI