Ace India shuttler Kidambi Srikanth on Friday bowed out of the Orleans Masters after losing in the quarter-finals. France’s Toma Junior Popov defeated Srikanth in straight games 21-19, 21-17 in a clash that lasted for 41 minutes. The Indian shuttler staged a great show but he could not get over the line and lost both the games with a close margin. Earlier in the day, Saina Nehwal progressed to the semi-finals of the ongoing Orleans Masters after defeating USA’s Iris Wang in the quarter-final clash. Nehwal registered a hard-fought win over Wang 21-19, 17-21, 21-19 in a one-hour long encounter. Wang put up a great fight against Olympic bronze medalist shuttler but she could not get the better of Nehwal.

Nehwal started on a high note as she outclassed the American in the first game. Wang came back strong in the second game and claimed the game by 21-17. The match went into the third game where Nehwal held her nerve to advance to the last four of the competition.

In another women’s singles quarter-final, Indian shuttler Ira Sharma faced a humiliating defeat against Denmark’s Line Christophersen. Danish shuttler defeated Ira in straight games 21-11, 21-8 in just 23 minutes.

The women’s doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy advanced to the semi-finals. Ponnappa and Reddy outclassed England’s pair of Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith 21-14, 21-18 in the quarter-finals clash that lasted for 41 minutes.

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Indian men’s doubles pair of Krishna Prashad Garaga and Vishnu Vardhan Goud Panjala stormed into the semi-finals after defeating the local pair of Christo Popov and Toma Junior Popov in a three-game intense clash.

The Indian duo came out triumphant despite the French pair staging a comeback in the second game. They won the match by 21-17, 10-21, 22-20 in an encounter that was completed in one hour and three minutes.