Syed Modi International: Saina, Sameer and Kashyap enter quarters

Lucknow: On Thursday, defending champion Sameer Verma and former champions Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap entered the quarterfinals of the Syed Modi International World Super Tour 300. 

Second-seeded Saina, who is a three-time winner of the Lucknow tourney, took over Amolika Singh Sisodiya 21-14, 21-9. Whereas Kashyap who stood a winner in 2012 and 2015 recovered from a game down to knock out Indonesia's Firman Abdul Kholik 9-21, 22-20, 21-8 in another match. Kashyap will face Thailand's Sitthikom Thammasin who is seeded eighth. 

Third-seeded Sameer defeated China's Zhao Junpeng 22-20, 21-17 and will face China's Zhou Zeqi. Saina Nehwal the former Olympic bronze medallist, will next play against eighth-seeded compatriot Rituparna Das, who defeated fellow Indian Shruti Mundada 21-11, 21-15 in a one-sided clash. 

Fourth-seeded B Sai Praneeth brushed aside Indonesia's Shesar Hiren Rhustavito 21-12 21-10 and will face China's Lu Guangzu who is sixth-seeded, ended the run of Saarlorlux champion Subhankar Dey with a 21-13 21-10 win.

Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka also notched up a 21-12, 21-15 win over compatriot Reshma Karthik 21-12, 21-15. She will square off against former Olympic champion Li Xuerui, seeded seventh in women's singles. 

In the mixed doubles match, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa also made a way in the last eight by defeating compatriots Shivam Sharma and Poorvisha S Ram 12-21, 21-14, 21-15.