Hylo Open: Sindhu, Lakshya advance to quarterfinals

PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen advanced to the quarter-finals of the Hylo Open Super 500 badminton tournament on Thursday, while compatriots Malvika Bansod and Isharani Baruah bowed out after straight-game defeats in Saarbrucken, Germany.

Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu made light work of France's Rosy Oktavia Pancasari, winning 21-9, 21-6 in just 26 minutes in the women's singles second round. The second seed dominated from the outset, winning 42 of the 57 points played to seal a comfortable victory.

Sindhu has carried her form from the French Open, where she finished runner-up, into Germany. After



beating Prakriti Bharath in the opening round, the former world champion will face Amalie Schulz in the quarter-finals.

Lakshya Sen had to work harder to book his place in the last eight. The Indian defeated compatriot Kiran George 21-15, 18-21, 21-12 in a 54-minute contest.

Sen took the opening game, but George fought back to win the second and force a decider. Sen, however, raised his level in the final game, pulling away to complete the victory and keep his campaign on track.

Sen will next face the winner of the match between Croatia's Aria Dinata and Finland's Kalle Koljonen.