Sourabh enters Vietnam Open semis

Second seed Sourabh, who had won the Hyderabad Open last month, defeated Tien Minh 21-13, 21-18 in a 43-minute clash. Sourabh jumped to a 4-1 lead early on in the first game, entering the break with a 11-6 advantage. The Indian kept the proceedings under control after the interval to eventually pocket the opening game comfortably.

The second game was more competitive as Sourabh and Tien Minh exchanged blows frequently before the Vietnamese shuttler managed a slender 11-10 lead at the breather. However, Sourabh soon turned the tables, moving to 17-12. Tien Minh managed to narrow the deficit to 18-19 but the Indian reeled off the required two points to shut the door on his opponent.

The 26-year-old Indian had lost in the Round-of-16 at the Chinese Taipei Open earlier this month.