Two-time champion and top seed Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu reached the pre-quarterfinals of the women’s singles competition at the $120,000 Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament here on Wednesday.
Olympic bronze medallist Saina, who had clinched the Swiss Open in 2011 and 2012, saw off Germany’s Karin Schnaase 21-7, 21-15 to set up a meeting with Czech’s Kristina Gavnholt.
Double World Championships bronze winner Sindhu, seeded sixth, sent Ireland’s Chole Magee packing 21-19, 21-10 in a 31-minute first round match. Sindhu face Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei in the pre-quarterfinals.
In the men’s singles, B Sai Praneeth made it to the pre-quarterfinals after an easy win.
In the opening round, eleventh seed Ajay Jayaram thrashed Malaysia’s Jiann Shiarng Chiang 21-8, 21-17. He will face Japan’s Kenichi Tago next.
HS Prannoy, seeded 13th, also reached the second round after eking out a 21-19, 21-19 win over Finland’s Kalle Koljonen.