Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold, Lucknow, Jan.17

[sameerph]

Lot of Indians playing here this week and only a few foreign players. So, it would be worthwhile tracking the results from QF stage where the tournament has reached now.

Saina is taking a break this week and so is Ajay Jayaram on the mens side. But, most of the other Indians are playing here.

Notable results so far - on mens side 9th seed Sai Praneeth beat 5th seed Anders Antonsen of Denmark 21-17 21-19 in PQF and 15th seed Harsheel Dani beat 6th seed H.S.Prannoy 21-18 21-18. Another good win by 8th seed Sameer Verma over 10th seed Malaysian Wei Feng Chong 21-15 21-16.

On the womens side, Rituparna Das beat 8th seed Polikarpova from Russia.

[sameerph]

So, these are QF match-ups -

Mens-

[QF] (3) KIDAMBI Srikanth (IND,19) vs. (7) Zulfadli ZULKIFFLI (MAS,30)
[QF] (9) SAI PRANEETH B. (IND,36) vs. (11) Sourabh VARMA (IND,43)
[QF] (15) Harsheel DANI (IND,76) vs. Emil HOLST (DEN,47)
[QF] (8) Sameer VERMA (IND,35) vs. (2) Hans-Kristian VITTINGHUS (DEN,15)

Women -

[QF] (1) PUSARLA V. Sindhu (IND,9) vs. VAIDEHI CHOUDHARI (IND,609)
[QF] Rituparna DAS (IND,66) vs. (4) Fitriani FITRIANI (INA,31)
[QF] Sri Krishna Priya KUDARAVALLI (IND,135) vs. Hanna RAMADINI (INA,44)
[QF] (3) Beatriz CORRALES (ESP,23) vs. Gregoria MARISKA (INA,120)

[sameerph]

It is going to be an all Indian SF in men but only Sindhu makes to womens SF.

Mens-

[QF] (3) KIDAMBI Srikanth (IND,19) d. (7) Zulfadli ZULKIFFLI (MAS,30) 21-12 21-17
[QF] (9) SAI PRANEETH B. (IND,36) d. (11) Sourabh VARMA (IND,43) 21-19 12-21 21-10
[QF] (15) Harsheel DANI (IND,76) d. Emil HOLST (DEN,47) 21-16 17-21 21-11
[QF] (8) Sameer VERMA (IND,35) d. (2) Hans-Kristian VITTINGHUS (DEN,15) 21-15 21-13

Women -

[QF] (1) PUSARLA V. Sindhu (IND,9) d. VAIDEHI CHOUDHARI (IND,609) 21-15 21-11
[QF] Rituparna DAS (IND,66) l. (4) Fitriani FITRIANI (INA,31) 17-21 21-13 21-23
[QF] Sri Krishna Priya KUDARAVALLI (IND,135) l. Hanna RAMADINI (INA,44) 17-21 15-21
[QF] Gregoria MARISKA (INA,120) d. (3) Beatriz CORRALES (ESP,23) 21-9 21-11

Excellent win by Sameer Verma over a top 15 player and a breakthrough performance by 20 year Harsheel Sani this week making SF of a GP gold event.

[arjun2761]

Also good to see a solid performance by Srikanth who is our best bet for top 10.

[sameerph]

Srikanth is the defending champion here too. So, he has points to defend. Important couple of matches for him to maintain his top 20 ranking. I think he can be much better than his current ranking of 19.

[sameerph]

Srikanth lost in 3 games after winning the first one against Sai Praneeth but otherwise great day for us with 2 all Indian finals and 2 more Indians in finals.

Mens Singles -

[SF] (9) SAI PRANEETH B. (IND,36) d. (3) KIDAMBI Srikanth (IND,19) 15-21 21-10 21-17
[SF] (8) Sameer VERMA (IND,35) d. (15) Harsheel DANI (IND,76) 21-15 21-11

[F] (9) SAI PRANEETH B. (IND,36) vs. (8) Sameer VERMA (IND,35)

Womens Singles-

[SF] (1) PUSARLA V. Sindhu (IND,9) d. (4) Fitriani FITRIANI (INA,31) 21-11 21-19

[F] (1) PUSARLA V. Sindhu (IND,9) vs. Gregoria MARISKA (INA,120

Womens doubles -

[SF] Ashwini PONNAPPA / REDDY N. Sikki (IND) d. Sanjana SANTOSH / Arathi Sara SUNIL (IND) 18-21 21-12 21-13

[F] Ashwini PONNAPPA / REDDY N. Sikki (IND) vs. (1) Kamilla Rytter JUHL / Christinna PEDERSEN (DEN)

Mixed doubles -

[SF] (7) REDDY B. Sumeeth / Ashwini PONNAPPA (IND) d. (1) Joachim FISCHER NIELSEN / Christinna PEDERSEN (DEN) 19-21 21-18 21-18
[SF] (2) Pranaav Jerry CHOPRA / REDDY N. Sikki (IND) d. (5) Mathias CHRISTIANSEN / Sara THYGESEN (DEN) 21-18 21-13

[F] (2) Pranaav Jerry CHOPRA / REDDY N. Sikki (IND) vs. (7) REDDY B. Sumeeth / Ashwini PONNAPPA (IND)

Excellent results in doubles where for the first time at GPG level we have an all Indian final in mixed doubles with Sumeeth/Sikki upsetting the world #4 pair in the SF. Both Ashwini and Sikki are line for a double crown and Sameer, Sai Praneeth, Sumeeth, Pranav, Ashwini, Sikki are all looking for their first GPG title.

[sameerph]

So, we ended with 3 titles at this grand prix gold tournament- mens singles, womens singles and mixed doubles. First GPG title for Sameer Verma and Pranav Chopra/Sikki Reddy and one of the easiest tournament victories for Sindhu who was a class above everyone else in the field.

Mens Singles -

[F] (8) Sameer VERMA (IND,35) d. (9) SAI PRANEETH B. (IND,36) 21-19 21-16

Womens Singles-

[F] (1) PUSARLA V. Sindhu (IND,9) d. Gregoria MARISKA (INA,120) 21-13 21-14

Womens doubles -

[F] Ashwini PONNAPPA / REDDY N. Sikki (IND) l. (1) Kamilla Rytter JUHL / Christinna PEDERSEN (DEN) 16-21 18-21

Mixed doubles -

[F] (2) Pranaav Jerry CHOPRA / REDDY N. Sikki (IND) d. (7) REDDY B. Sumeeth / Ashwini PONNAPPA (IND) 22-20 21-10