Indonesia Masters: PV Sindhu beats Tunjung, Srikanth stuns Nishimoto to register quarterfinal berths

India's leading women shuttler P V Sindhu sailed into the Indonesia Masters' quarterfinal after registering a straight-game win over local favourite Gregoria Mariska Tunjung here Thursday.

PV Sindhu

Jakarta: India's leading women shuttler P V Sindhu sailed into the Indonesia Masters' quarterfinal after registering a straight-game win over local favourite Gregoria Mariska Tunjung here Thursday. Sindhu, seeded second, defeated Tunjung 23-21, 21-7 in 37 minutes to make the last-eight stage of her season-opener. The Indian faced some stiff competition in the opening game but stepped up her level of play in the second game to dominate the match and keep her unbeaten record against Tunjung intact. In the men's section, India's Kidambi Srikanth also booked his place into the quarterfinals after beating Japanese star Kenta Nishimoto 21-14, 21-9 in a match which lasted just half an hour. Earlier on Tuesday, eighth seeded Saina Nehwal, who had reached the semi-finals at the Malaysia Masters last week, recovered from a first-game loss to secure a 7-21 21-16 21-11 win over local hope Dinar Dyah Ayustine, ranked 50th, in another women's singles match. It was Saina's third win over Ayustine. The 28-year-old from Hyderabad will next face another Indonesian Fitriani Fitriani, against whom she has a 4-0 head-to-head record. Sindhu, Srikanth and Saina have kept the Indian challenge alive in the premier tournament after B Sai Praneeth and Subhankar Dey failed to cross the opening hurdle on Tuesday.