PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen enter singles quarterfinal at Canada Open Badminton

India’s P.V Sindhu and Lakshya Sen continued their onward march in Canada Open, reaching the respective singles quarterfinals while the men’s doubles combine of Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala made its exit.

Sindhu, seeded fourth in the event, did not have to take the court as she got a walkover from Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira in the second round while Lakshya Sen defeated Brazil’s Ygor Coelho in straight games, 21-15, 21-11 in just 31 minutes.

Krishna Prasad and Vinshuvardhan went down to Mohamad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia 9-21, 11-21 in 24 minutes in the BWF World Tour Super 500 event with a prize fund of USD 420,000.

She will next face China’s Gao Fang Jie for a place in the semifinals. Gao defeated Switzerland’s Jenjira Stadelann 21-14, 22-20 in a second-round clash.

In the second round against Yigor Coelho, Lakshya Sen took a 2-0 lead but the Brazilian opponent had four points in a row to surge ahead 4-2. Scores went neck and neck with the lead changing hands regularly till 15-14 when Lakshya took control and won the next five points to take a 20-14 lead. Coelho saved a game point but Lakshya won the next one to win the first game 21-15.

Lakshya dominated the second game and from 3-2 won nine consecutive points to take a 12-2 lead. He extended the lead to 16-4 and though the Brazilian won three points in a row, Lakshya maintained his upper hand as he went on to win the second game 21-11 and seal a comprehensive win.

Lakshya, who stunned second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand in the first round, next faces Julien Carraggi of Belgium in the quarterfinals.