Malaysia Masters 2023 Quarter-Finals Highlights: PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy move to semis, Kidambi Srikanth bows out

Hello and welcome to the Khel Now live blog for the Malaysia Masters 2023 quarter-finals! Stay tuned for live updates as players eye place in the Malaysia Masters 2023 semis.

Malaysia Masters 2023, a BWF Super 500 Tournament, started on May 23 and will continue till May 28. The inaugural edition was held in 2009. This will be its 14th edition. India have won three titles here and all came in the women’s singles category. PV Sindhu won twice in 2013 and 2016, while Saina Nehwal won in 2017.

This time Indian shuttlers will look to end the title drought here and would want to perform well since the Olympic qualification cycle for Paris 2024 has already begun. They would want to get those valuable points. No Doubles players are participating in this tournament so eyes will be all on the singles player to deliver and regain their form.

Ace Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, and Kidambi Srikanth confirmed their places in the Malaysia Masters 2023 quarter-finals with contrasting wins in their respective sections on Thursday.

While two-time Olympic medallist and sixth seed Sindhu beat Aya Ohori of Japan in straight games in women’s singles, Prannoy had to dig deep to overcome China's Shi Feng Li in a tough three-game encounter. Later, Srikanth saw off India Open champion and eighth-seed Kunlavut Vitidsarin of Thailand to enter the quarters.

It was, however, curtains for Lakshya Sen who bowed out of the tournament after a defeat against Hong Kong's Angus Ng Ka Long in the Round of 16 match. Sen, Commonwealth Games 2022 gold medallist, went down in straight games 14-21, 19-21.

Sindhu, who was the first to play, made it 13-0 in head-to-head records against Ohori with another dominating display. She beat the Japanese 21-16, 21-11 in just 40 minutes.

Prannoy then bounced back from a game down against reigning All England Open champion Shi Feng Li 13-21, 21-16, 21-11 in one hour and 10 minutes. Srikanth, on the other hand, extended his clean record against Vitidsarn to 4-0 with a 21-19, 21-19 win.