Chennai Smashers led Delhi Acers 3-2 in the first semifinal of the Premier Badminton League at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Thursday. At the time of going to press, the Smashers’ P.V. Sindhu, on whom the trump was placed, had just beaten P.C. Thulasi 15-6, 15-7.
Sindhu’s win gave Chennai the all-important two points, for until then it was trailing by a point, having lost the first two matches and then won one.
But the World No.12’s win could come to nothing if Delhi Acers’ World No.11 Indonesian Tommy Sugiarto, in his trump match, beats Frenchman Brice Leverdez.
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It will then give Delhi a 4-3 win.
Earlier, the Acers were off to an impressive start with its doubles pairing of Koo Keat Kien and Tan Boon Heong dismantling Chris Adcock’s and Pranaav Chopra’s game in quick time to win 15-10, 15-14.
In the next match Chennai fared marginally better. Sony Dwi Kuncoro, a bronze medallist at the 2004 Athens Olympics nicked the first game 15-14 against Ajay Jayaram. The latter though found his touch in the second taking it 15-10. Jayaram relentlessly moved the Indonesian back and forth and the 31-year-old legs in his opponent showed as the third game was surrendered rather meekly 15-7.
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But it was in mixed doubles that the Smashers finally got their act together. Chris Adcock and Pia Zebadiah took the first game 15-9 against Gabrielle Adcock — who happens to be Chris’s wife — and Koo Keat Kien.
Even as the Chennai duo trailed in the initial stages of the second, it managed to pip Delhi 15-14.
The results (semifinal): Chennai Smashers leads Delhi Acers 3-2 (Chris Adcock & Pranaav Chopra lost to Koo Keat Kien & Tan Boon Heong 15-10, 15-14; Sony Dwi Kuncoro lost to Ajay Jayaram 14-15, 15-10, 15-7.
Chris Adcock & Pia Zebadiah bt Gabrielle Adcock & Koo Keat Kien 15-9, 15-14; P.V. Sindhu -T bt P.C. Thulasi 15-6, 15-7).