India rally into quarters

His tongue-twister name apart, Saensomboonsuk Tanongsak also possesses the game to confound India's best bet in badminton singles Chetan Anand. Not in the greatest of form, Anand (ranked 15) struggled to figure out the Thai world No 32, and then the pair of Sanave Thomas-Rupesh Kumar lost before India asserted their class to beat Thailand 3-2 and win the crucial last encounter of the Thomas Cup (Asia Zone) group stage in Nakornratchasima, Thailand on Wednesday.

V Diju took over after the early losses, guiding junior partner Akshay Dewalkar to an unlikely win in the second doubles, as Aravind Bhat and RMV Gurusaidutt picked reassuring wins on either side of that to turn the tense 0-2 start into a 3-2 margin for the Indians. Attempting to re-enter the elite of men's badminton at the Thomas Cup Finals in May, India set up a quarter-final clash with Vietnam, avoiding Indonesia after topping their group.

Tanongsak's frenzied pace unsettled an off-colour Anand, who was rushed and harried and had to fend off deep smashes during his 21-18 21-14 loss in the first singles. Next, Thailand's Chalardchaleam Patipat and Lapoe Thitipong showed better nerves at the finishing points as they beat Sanave Thomas-Rupesh Kumar 21-19 22-20.

Bhat, playing the third match with India staring at defeat, needed to compose his nerves before normalcy was reinstated, as he beat Avihingsanon Suppanyu 21-15 21-16, breaking away at 14-all in the second. "If I'd lost it would have been tragic, but in the end it wasn't all that difficult," Bhat said. "I was nervous initially, because at 0-2 down, you don't want mistakes," he added. "We knew the first singles and the doubles were 50-50 because they are tough opponents," Bhat said, adding that the second doubles had pulled it off for them.

Diju, India's mixed doubles top-ten player, brought all his experience to the table, shepherding Dewalkar against D Caballes Tin and Puangpuapech Nipitphon during their 16-21 21-18 21-14 thriller. "We felt the pressure in the first game, but maintained our lead in the second. In the third Akshay started hitting well from the back and I was catching the shuttle early," Diju said.

Gurusaidutt played a composed decider to beat Buranakruea Watchara 21-6 21-13.

Source from Indian Express.com