Stretched unexpectedly, Carolina Marin pulled off the Trump match against a fighting Nitchaon Jindapol to take Hyderabad Hunters past Delhi Acers and into the semifinals of the Premier Badminton League (PBL) here on Thursday.
Hyderabad won 5-2 after winning four out of five matches in the tie. Acers garnered two points after World No. 2 Jan O Jorgensen won his Trump against Rajiv Ouseph in quick time.
In fact, Hyderabad needed to take three points from the tie to oust Bangalore for a place in the semifinals.
Once the semifinal line-up was drawn, it brought forth the prospects of a Saina Nehwal-P.V. Sindhu clash with Awadhe Warriors taking on Chennai Smashers. Hunters will meet Mumbai Rockets in the other semifinal on Friday.
It was Marin’s victory, worth two points, that gave an unassailable 4-2 lead and ended the competitive interest in the tie.
After Hyderabad won the first two matches, with Sameer Verma overpowering Siril Verma and the doubles pair Satwik Reddy and Hong Kong girl Hou Chau racing past Vladmir Ivanov and G. Jwala, Jorgensen made it 2-2 for Acers.
Thereafter, Marin’s tie held the key for Hyderabad’s passage to the last four.
Marin led 7-1 but faced two game-points at 8-10 after a string of uncharacteristic errors. Jindapol could not capitalise on these opportunities as the Spaniard attacked relentlessly to draw parity.
Thereafter, Marin had two chances to seal the game, but in vain. She led 14-13 but Jindapol drew level.
On the final point, the latter let go a return as long. Marin immediately challenged the call and was soon awarded the point and the game.
In the second, Marin broke away from 4-4 and did not give Jindapol another point in the 31-minute match.
The results:
Hyderabad Hunters bt Delhi Acers 5-2 [Sameer Verma bt Siril Verma 8-11, 11-3, 11-2; Hoi Wah Chau & Satwik Reddy bt G. Jwala & Vladimir Ivanov 11-3, 11-4; Rajiv Ouseph lost to Jan O Jorgensen (T) 5-11, 7-11; Carolina Marin bt Nitchaon Jindapol 15-14, 11-4; Boon Heong Tan & Wee Kiong Tan bt Vladimir Ivanov & Ivan Sozonov 11-9, 13-11].
Final standings: 1. Awadhe Warriors (21 points), 2. Mumbai Rockets (19), 3. Chennai Smashers (18), Hyderabad Hunters (14), Bangaluru Blasters (11), and 6. Delhi Acers (8).
Semifinal line-up: Awadhe Warriors v Chennai Smashers; Mumbai Rockets v Hyderabad Hunters.
