PV Sindhu stuns World No 1 Chinese Li Xuerui, Saina Nehwal sails into quarterfinals
Jakarta: Two-time bronze-medallist PV Sindhu stunned Olympic champion and former World No 1 Chinese Li Xuerui in a hard-fought women's singles match to enter the quarterfinals of the World Badminton Championship here on Thursday.
With this victory, Sindhu has moved a step closer to claiming a hat-trick of medals in the World championship. The 11th seeded Sindhu, who clinched the bronze medal in 2013 and 2014 editions of this tournament, stunned Xuerui 21-17, 14-21, 21-17 in a battle that lasted 50 minutes.
India's PV Sindhu makes a forehand return to China's Li Xuerui during the match. (Photo: AP)
Sindhu will next take on eighth seeded Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea. If she manages to win her quarterfinal match, she will be assured of at least a bronze. The World No 13 Indian, who had spent most of the time this season nursing an injury and struggling for form, on Thursday gave a glimpse of her previous self.
Sindhu made her intentions clear from the very beginning as she opened with a 5-1 lead in the first game and simply surged ahead, never letting her higher ranked opponent catch her.
The closest the Chinese came was at 16-17 before Sindhu won three points on the trot to make it 20-16 and eventually close the opening game 21-17.
Xuerui, however, came back strongly in the second game, using all her experience as she dominated from the very first point to steal the game 21-14 and take it to the decider. (Photo: AP)
In the third game, after breaking away from tied 3-3, Sindhu ran away with a 11-6 lead at the break. But the Chinese kept breathing down her neck, clawing back at 13-13. At 14-14, Sindhu managed to win four successive points to once again open up a 18-14 lead.
Thereafter she just tightened the noose, not letting the advantage slip and sealed the issue rather comfortably in the end.
In the third game, after breaking away from tied 3-3, Sindhu ran away with a 11-6 lead at the break. But the Chinese kept breathing down her neck, clawing back at 13-13.
At 14-14, Sindhu managed to win four successive points to once again open up a 18-14 lead. Thereafter she just tightened the noose, not letting the advantage slip and sealed the issue rather comfortably in the end.
India's Saina Nehwal hits a backhand return to Japan's Sayaka Takahashi during the match. (Photo: AP)
Meanwhile, World No 2 Saina, despite struggling in the opening game, managed to come from behind and live up to her reputation to advance to the next stage.
Saina conceded an 0-7 lead in the first game before she slowly clawed back into the game, winning a point or two to keep up with her Japanese rival. She finally could catch Takahashi at 16-16 and the game went on neck-and-neck till 18-18 before she bagged three points on the trot to win it 21-18.
In the second game, Saina took an early lead and was sailing along smoothly before she was caught by Takahashi at 12-12. After a brief battle, however, the Indian once again broke away with a three-point lead and then earned another five consecutive points to win it comfortably. (Photos: AP)
Jwala Gutta, Ashwini Ponappa in line for podium finish:
Doubles combine of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa also put themselves in line for a podium finish in the World Badminton Championship.
Glasgow Commonwealth Games silver medallists Jwala and Ashwini too notched up a thrilling 21-15, 18-21, 21-19 win over eighth seed Japanese pair of Reika Kakiiwa and Miyuki Maeda in a 58-minute battle.
The 2011 edition bronze medallist pair will next fight it out with another World No 17 Japanese combo of Naoko Fukuman and Kurumi Yonao on Friday. (Photo: Facebook)
"It was an amazing win and an important win. I am very elated to have been able to perform this way. Japanese are not easy to play, they never give up. Their defense is one of the best, but we got better of them today," Jwala said.
