Syed Modi International: Unstoppable Indian shuttler Priyanshu Rajawat enters semis

Lucknow, December 1

Young Indian shuttler Priyanshu Rajawat progressed to the men’s singles semifinals with a straight-game win over Alwi Farhan of Indonesia at the Syed Modi International Super 300 here today.

The 21-year-old from Madhya Pradesh, who won the Orleans Masters this season, registered a 21-15 21-16 win over world junior champion Farhan in a 49-minute quarterfinals clash.

Priyanshu made a good start as he opened a 5-0 lead and kept his nose ahead till the break. Though Farhan narrowed down the deficit to 14-15, the Indian reeled off five straight points to seal the opening game comfortably.

In the second game, Priyanshu once again opened up a 8-3 advantage but the 18-year-old Indonesian turned the tables on him, taking a slim 11-10 lead at the break. Farhan then swelled the lead to 15-12 but Priyanshu regrouped just in time to take nine of the next 10 points to seal the tie.

Priyanshu will next face either Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yu Jen or Chia Hao Lee.

World No. 32 and seventh seed Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa secured a 21-19 21-8 win over Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who are ranked 19th in the world and seeded fourth here.

Tanisha and Ashwini will likely face the top-seeded Japanese pair of Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota in the semifinals.