Orleans Open: Sameer Verma reaches semi-final with hard-fought win; Parupalli Kashyap bows out

Orleans: Sameer Verma emerged as the lone Indian survivor at the Orleans Open World Super 100 tournament after reaching the semi-finals with a hard-fought win over local hope Lucas Corvee in men’s singles competition. [caption id=“attachment_4413207” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Sameer Verma. AFP[/caption] Top seeded Sameer, who clinched the Swiss Open last month, saw off eighth seeded Corvee 17-21 21-19 21-15 in a battle that lasted an hour and eight minutes at the Palais des sports. The Indian will face Netherlands’ Mark Caljouw, seeded fourth, next. It turned out to be a disappointing day for fifth seeded Parupalli Kashyap as he lost 18-21 14-21 to third seeded Rasmus Gemke of Denmark. After battling for 44 minutes, Indian men’s doubles pair of Francis Alwin and K Nandagopal also suffered a 21-19 14-21 8-21 loss to third seeded German combo of Mark Lamsfuss and Marvin Emil Seidel.