Lauren Smith has made the quarter-finals of the Women’s Doubles and the Mixed Doubles in Lucknow, India. The day started in rather peculiar fashion; Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith only having to play (and win) two points before their opponents retired.
The Indian eighth seeds Ashwini Ponnappa and Reddy N. Sikki were this unfortunate pair. Smith and Birch play further seeds, Chang Ye Na and Kim Hye Rin of Korea in the next round. India’s Dhruv Kapila and Jakkampudi Meghana were outplayed in the Mixed Doubles by Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith.
22-20 21-8 earnt the English number one pair a possible quarter-final match with the Magees of Ireland if not a pair of South Korean qualifiers. Having won in 18 minutes in the first round, Ben Lane and Sean Vendy were eliminated in the second.
Chinese fifth seeds He Ji Ting and Tan Qiang prevailed 21-18 21-17. Wang Zhi Yi of China knocked Chloe Birch out of the Women’s Singles second round 21-8 18-21 21-11.
