NEW DELHI: P.V. Sindhu is clearly riding a high. Within 24 hours of taming Saina Nehwal, the Olympic silver-medallist battled for 76 minutes to upset second seed Sung Ji Hyun and set up a title clash with Spaniard Carolina Marin in the Yonex Indian Open badminton — a repeat of the Rio Olympic Games final.
A noisy Saturday crowd at the Siri Fort Complex played its part and backed the third seeded Indian all the way to a 21-18, 14-21, 21-14 triumph over Sung, considered the most consistent top-10 player in the world.
Sindhu needed a second wind even after leading 11-4 at the mid-game interval of the decider. Sung, returning to the court from where she won the second game, quickly made it 10-12 and Sindhu, for once, was clearly worried.
Sindhu, however, got her act together during this most crucial phase of the match. She returned to attacking ways, showed that she was ready to rally, and moved her rival around. By winning the points in a variety of ways, she soon enlarged her lead and completed an emphatic victory.
In terms of statistics, this was Sindhu’s seventh victory over Sung in 11 meetings and fourth in the last six clashes since January 2016. The last time the two met, Sung prevailed in the 2016 Dubai World Super Series Finals.
“With Sung, it is always close and I came prepared for it. She is a rally-player and that’s why there were hardly any easy points during the contest,” said Sindhu, reflecting on the victory.
“Even though I was ahead in the decider, I was not sure about winning easily. Sung can bounce back from any stage. Last time (in Dubai), I had a lead in the decider and lost at 21-19. So I never took it easy at any point.”
Looking ahead to the final against Carolina, Sindhu said, “we are very good friends. She is a very nice person. But on the court, it was will be tough battle. I hope the crowd supports me [on Sunday] though I heard many supporting Carolina during her semifinals.”
When asked who was likely to win their ‘screaming battle’ in the final, Sindhu laughed and said, “I think, I am the one who is going to scream more.”
Earlier, the men’s singles final line-up was ready with third seeded Dane Victor Axelsen and Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen, seeded seven, making the grade. Interestingly all the doubles finals will be one-nation affairs — the men’s title would go to Indonesia, the ladies to Japan and the mixed to China.
The results (semifinals): Men: 3-Victor Axelsen (Den) bt Ng Ka Long Angus (Hkg) 21-12, 21-13; 7-Chou Tien Chen (Tpe) bt Anders Antonsen (Den) 21-17, 21-14.
Doubles: 6-Ricky Karandasuwardi and Angga Pratama (Ina) bt Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen (Chn) 21-16, 13-21, 21-16; 4-Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Ina) bt 7-Mads Conrad-Petersen and Mads Pieler Kolding (Den) 21-14, 18-21, 21-9.
Women: 1-Carolina Marin (Esp) bt 4-Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) 21-16, 21-14; 3-P.V. Sindhu bt 2-Sung Ji Hyun (Kor) 21-18, 14-21, 21-14.
Doubles: 7-Shijo Tanaka and Koharu Yonemoto (Jpn) bt Jung Kyung Eun and Shin Seung Chan (Kor) 21-16, 19-21, 24-22; 3-Naoko Fukuman and Kurumi Yonao (Jpn) bt Yuku Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota (Jpn) 21-16, 21-13.
Mixed doubles: 1-Zheng Siwei and Chen Qingchen (Chn) w/o Peng Soon Chan and Liu Ying Goh (Mal); 2-Lu Kai and Huang Yaqiong (Chn) bt Chris Adcock and Gabrielle Adcock (Eng) 21-13, 21-13.
