Indian shuttler Ashmita Chaliha continued her encouraging return from injury by storming into the women's singles semifinals of the Macau Open Super 300 tournament with a straight-game victory over Korea's Kim Min Sun on Friday. However, fellow Indian Anmol Kharb saw her campaign come to an end after suffering a quarterfinal defeat.
The 26-year-old Assamese player, who resumed competitive action in May following a three-month injury break, defeated world No. 99 Kim 21-16, 21-18 in a match that lasted 37 minutes. The win extended Ashmita's impressive run and secured her maiden semifinal appearance on the BWF World Tour this season.
Since returning from injury, Ashmita has steadily regained form, reaching the quarterfinals of both the China Masters Super 100 and the Malaysia Masters Super 500. Her latest performance underlines her growing confidence and consistency on the circuit.
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Currently ranked world No. 63, Ashmita endured a difficult spell after sustaining a medial meniscus tear in her right knee during the Korea Open. The injury required surgery followed by an extensive rehabilitation programme before she could return to competition. The Indian will now take on Korea's Park Ga Eun in the semifinals, with a place in the title clash at stake.
Meanwhile, world No. 51 Anmol Kharb was unable to build on a strong start and went down 21-14, 15-21, 13-21 to fourth seed Han Qian Xi of China. Ranked No. 36 in the world, Han recovered after losing the opening game to seal victory in a hard-fought contest that lasted an hour.
In her quarterfinal match, Ashmita faced stiff resistance from Kim during the opening game. With the scores tied at 14-14, the Indian raised her level, winning four consecutive points to gain a decisive advantage before closing out the game comfortably.
The second game proved even more challenging as Kim surged into an early 8-2 lead, putting Ashmita under pressure. Undeterred, the Indian gradually worked her way back into the contest, reducing the deficit to 16-18. She then produced a brilliant finish, reeling off five straight points to seal the match and secure her place in the last four.
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