PV Sindhu vs Sung Ji Hyun, Badminton World Championships Highlights: PV Sindhu Marches Into Quarters With Clinical Win

PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal and Sai Praneeth made it a successful outing for Indians at the BWF Badminton World Championships 2018 on Thursday. However, there was a little disappointment with World No.6 Kidambi Srikanth suffering a shock loss to Daren Liew of Malaysia. The Indian shuttler lost 18-21, 18-21 to make a premature exit. Sindhu, Saina and Praneeth, however, sailed into the quarter-finals with clinical performances. Saina outclassed World No.4 Ratchanok Intanon 21-16, 21-19 while Sindhu was just as good, getting the better of Sung Ji Hyun of South Korea 21-10, 21-18. Sai Praneeth too sailed into the last eight, defeating Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus 21-13, 21-11. The Indian trio will need to put in similar performances on Friday with much tougher opponents lying in wait in the quarter-final stage. Saina will be up against Spain's Carolina Marin while Sindhu will face a familiar foe in Nozomi Okuhara. Sai Praneeth too will have his work cut out with sixth seed Kento Momota up next for the Indian.

Badminton highlights of PV Sindhu vs Sung Ji Hyun, BWF Badminton World Championship 2018 at Nanjing, China.

18:20 IST: Thank you for joining our live coverage today. Tune in tomorrow for more badminton action from the World Championships.

18:16 IST: All in all a good day in the office for Indians at the World Championships. Barring the Srikanth's shock defeat, Saina, Sindhu and Sai Praneeth were nothing short of brilliant as they easily got past their respective opponents.

18:15 IST: An absolutely clinical performance from the Indian superstar but lying in wait in the quarters is a familiar foe -- Nozomi Okuhara.

18:12 IST: It's over! Sindhu marches into the quarter-finals with a 21-10, 21-18 win over Sung Ji Hyun of South Korea.

18:11 IST: Match point for Sindhu!

18:10 IST: Sindhu needs just two more points to wrap up the match.

18:07 IST: Three-point lead for Sindhu. She leads 17-14

18:05 IST: Trailing 9-13, Sindhu now leads 14-13 in the second game. Brilliant comeback from the Indian star!

18:02 IST: Despite the errors, Sindhu refusing to relent. She hits two back-to-back powerful smashes to reduce the gap to 12-13.

18:01 IST: Some errors creeping into Sindhu's game now. She trails 9-13.

17:58 IST: Five points in a row for Sindhu, she trails 8-10

17:53 IST: Incredible from the Korean! She is doing what Sindhu did to her in the 1st game. Sung Ji Hyun leads 10-3.

17:49 IST: Sung Ji Hyun has started off on a much better note in the second game. She leads 4-2. 

17:46 IST: Brilliant from Sindhu! She wins the 1st game 21-10.

17:42 IST: Sindhu is looking determined to finish off the rallies quickly and she is doing it with much aplomb today. The Korean has no answer to the barrage of smashes coming her way. 

17:39 IST: Powerful down-the-line smash from Sindhu gives her a 12-6 lead.

17:37 IST: At the mid-break of 1st game, Sindhu leads 11-4 against Sung Ji Hyun.

17:36 IST: Some respite for Sung Ji Hyun. She wins three back-to-back points.

17:34 IST: The South Korean shuttler looks shell-shocked as Sindhu takes a commanding 9-1 lead.

17:32 IST: In no time, Sindhu streaks into 6-1 lead.

17:26 IST: Up next is PV Sindhu, who will be up against Sung Ji Hyun of South Korea.

17:23 IST:  A much sterner test awaits Sai Praneeth in the last eight with Kento Momota next but the Indian should be proud of his performance in the third round. A clinical display from the unseeded Indian!

17:21 IST: That't it! Sai Praneeth is through to the quarter-finals with an easy 21-13, 21-11 win over Vittinghus.

17:20 IST: Match point for Sai Praneeth

17:15 IST: Clinical from Sai Praneeth. He backs up a thunderous smash with a cross-court shot from near the net. The Indian leads 14-8.

17:12 IST: At the mid-break of 2nd game, Sai Praneeth leads 11-7.

17:10 IST: The Indian seems to be in cruise control with the Dane finding it difficult to break down Praneeth's defence.

17:07 IST: Cross-court smash and Sai Praneeth gets another point.

17:05 IST: Praneeth is exhibiting some brilliant defensive skills. He wins two points in a row to take a 7-5 lead. 

17:02 IST: Vittinghus faring much better in the second game, level at 5-5

16:59 IST: Sai Praneeth wins the 1st game 21-13 against Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus

16:48 IST: At the mid-break of the 1st game, Sai Praneeth leads 11-6 against Hans-Kristian Solberg.

16:40 IST: Meanwhile, Sai Praneeth's match against Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus has started.

16:35 IST: Mixed day so far for India at the World Championships. While Srikanth tasted defeat and exited the tournament, Saina made history by becoming the first woman to reach the quarter-final stage for badminton worlds for the eighth consecutive time.

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2018@NSaina is the first woman to reach the Quarter-Finals of BWF World Championships for 8 consecutive times
#TOTALBADMINTON #TOTALBWFWC2018 pic.twitter.com/05wauwjUwm

— BWF (@bwfmedia) August 2, 2018

16:25 IST: Big upset! World No. 6 Kidambi Srikanth loses 18-21, 18-21 to Daren Liew of Malaysia.

16:24 IST: Match point for Daren Liew against Kidambi Srikanth

16:22 IST: Kidambi loses his lead now. The Indian star shuttler trails 18-19.

16:18 IST: Kidambi is showing tough fight here. He takes 17-16 lead against Liew.

16:17 IST: What a comeback from Liew. He makes it 13-13.

16:15 IST: Kidambi scores back-to-back points and makes it 13-11.

16:13 IST: At the mid-break of second game, Kidambi Srikanth leads 11-9 against Daren Liew

16:10 IST: Daren scores back-to-back points. He leads 9-8 now.

16:08 IST: Srikanth takes 8-6 lead in the second game.

15:59 IST: Kidambi Srikanth loses 1st game 18-21 against Daren Liew  

15:54 IST: Shifting focus now to the men's singles draw where India's Kidambi Srikanth is trailing Daren Liew 14-17 in the first game.

15:53 IST: Late surge from the Thai shuttler but it was a little too late. Saina will now face Carolina Marin in the last eight.

15:51 IST: It's all over! Saina through to the quarters with a 21-16, 21-19 win over Intanon.

15:50 IST: Intanon draws level at 19-19.

15:48 IST: Intanon making a mini-comeback, she trails only by a point.

15:45 IST: Saina looking good, she is three points away from a place in the quarter-final.

15:43 IST: Finally some fight from the Thai shuttler, which earns her a point at the end of a grueling rally. Saina leads 16-13.

15:41 IST: Meanwhile, in location 4. Kidambi Srikanth's match against Daren Liew has started.

15:39 IST: Another powerful smash from Saina and another point for the Indian. This has been smooth sailing for her.

15:38 IST: At the mid-break of 2nd game, Saina Nehwal leads 11-8 against Ratchanok Intanon

15:35 IST: Intanon has improved a little and starting to get her radar right but Saina is still looking comfortable. She leads 10-7.

15:31 IST: Intanon is struggling big-time, Saina streaks into a 4-1 lead.

15:29 IST: 2nd game begins! Saina takes the 1st point

15:27 IST: Saina Nehwal wins the first game 21-16 against Ratchanok Intanon

15:23 IST: Saina has been brilliant with her smashes today. She is just two points away from wrapping up the first game.

15:20 IST: Intanon puts her backhand wide again. Too many unforced errors from the Thai shuttler.

15:19 IST: Saina starting to dictate terms now. She leads 14-10.

15:16 IST: At the mid-break of the 1st game Saina Nehwal leads 11-8 against Ratchanok Intanon

15:14 IST: Four points in a row for Saina. She leads 10-8

15:12 IST: Couple of poor judgement calls from Saina gives Intanon 8-6 lead.

15:07 IST: Neck and neck between the two players. 1st game tied at 5-5.

15:04 IST: First point goes to Intanon but Saina draws level immediately,

15:03 IST: Saina Nehwal's match against Ratchanok Intanon starts!

14:53 IST: Chris and Gabrielle Addock win their match easily. We are minutes away from Saina Nehwal's match.

14:45 IST: There were some big matches today with all the favourites making it through,

Tai Tzu Ying beat Beiwen Zhang 21-19, 21-14

Viktor Axelsen beat NG Ka Long Angus 21-19, 21-18

Carolina Marin beat Sayaka Sato 21-7, 21-13

Chen Long defeated Kenta Nishimoto 21-18, 21-19

Akane Yamaguchi defeated Nitchaon Jindapol 21-12, 21-12

Chen Yufei defeated Xiaoxin Chen 21-11, 18-21, 21-12

14:35 IST: Saina's match will take place in Location 1. Currently, a mixed doubles match between English pair Chris and Gabrielle Adcock and China's He Jiting and Du Yue is going on, following which Saina will take the court.

14:25 IST: First up will be Saina Nehwal, who will be up against Ratchanok Intanon. 

14:20 IST: Hello and welcome to the live blog of Day 4 of the BWF World Championships. A strong Indian presence today with Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and Sai Praneeth all in action in the singles draw.

Abian made a strong comeback in the second game. He went into the break with a narrow 11-10 lead and took the game away from Srikanth immediately after the restart with an awe inspiring run of seven consecutive points. The third and decisive game was also a neck-and-neck fight, but the Indian held his own in the closing stages to clinch the issue.

Later in the day, Sindhu did not encounter too many problems, registering a 21-14, 21-9 victory over Fitriani.

The only period of the match when Fitriani managed to match Sindhu was during the early stages of the opening game. But Sindhu took charge after the break, taking six consecutive points to build up a comfortable lead which she never relinquished.

The Hyderabad shuttler completely dominated the second game, scoring almost at will to simply blow away the Indonesian's challenge. But it was curtains for other Indians in action on Wednesday. In the men's singles Sameer Verma lost 21-17, 21-14 to veteran Chinese star Lin Dan while H.S. Prannoy went down 21-8, 16-21, 15-21 to Ygor Coelho of Brazil.

In men's doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty went down fighting by a 21-18, 15-21, 21-16 margin to eighth seeds Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen of Denmark. In women's doubles, Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy lost 21-14, 21-15 to the second seeded Japanese pair of Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota.