India’s challenge at the Japan Open ended with Sai Praneeths loss to top seed and home hero Kento Momota in the semifinals here on Saturday (July 27).
The Indian lost 18-21, 12-21 in a semifinal lasting 45 minutes. Momota had also beaten Sai at the Singapore Open earlier this year.
Sai had made the Japan Open semifinals beating Indonesia’s Tommy Sugiarto here on Friday (July 26).
India’s challenge in the women’s singles ended on Friday when PV Sindhu lost to Akane Yamaguchi in the quarterfinals. The Japanese shuttler had also defeated Sindhu in the Indonesia Open final last week.