Daijiworld Media Network - Macau
Macau, Jun 19: Indian shuttler Ashmita Chaliha continued her impressive comeback campaign by advancing to the women's singles semi-finals of the Macau Open BWF World Tour Super 300 after a straight-game victory over South Korea's Kim Min Sun on Friday.
The 26-year-old from Assam defeated Kim 21-16, 21-18 in just 37 minutes to book a place in the last four, where she will face another South Korean player, Park Ga Eun.
Park progressed to the semi-finals after receiving a walkover from Thailand's second seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the quarterfinals.
The opening game was closely contested, with both players level at 14-14 before Ashmita seized control by winning four consecutive points. She maintained her momentum and comfortably closed out the first game.
The second game proved more challenging as Kim established an early advantage and led 11-5 at the mid-game interval.
However, Ashmita produced a remarkable comeback, gradually reducing the deficit before winning five successive points from 16-18 to seal the match in straight games.
The victory marks another significant milestone in Ashmita’s strong return to competitive badminton following a lengthy injury layoff.
Ranked world No. 63, she returned to action in May after spending three months recovering from a medial meniscus tear in her right knee, an injury she suffered during the Korea Open that required surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
Since her comeback, she has consistently delivered strong performances, reaching the quarterfinals of both the China Masters Super 100 and the Malaysia Masters Super 500 before progressing to the semi-finals in Macau.
She will now take on Park Ga Eun for a place in the championship match.
Meanwhile, fellow Indian shuttler Anmol Kharb saw her campaign come to an end in the quarterfinals.
The world No. 51 made a bright start against China's fourth seed Han Qian Xi, taking the opening game 21-14.
However, Han mounted a strong comeback to win the next two games 21-15 and 21-13, securing a 14-21, 21-15, 21-13 victory in a one-hour contest.
The Chinese player, currently ranked No. 36 in the world, advanced to the semi-finals after recovering from the early setback.
With Anmol's exit, Ashmita Chaliha remains India's lone representative in the women's singles draw and will look to continue her impressive run when she competes for a place in the final.