Korean Open Super Series: PV Sindhu vs Nozomi Okuhara, a tale of two finalists
Seoul: Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu will face-off against Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in the final of the ongoing Korean Open Super Series on Sunday. The last time these two shuttlers played against each other was at World Badminton Championship in Glasgow last month, when the match turned out to be the longest match in the history of the competition.
Watch: 21 shot rally between PV Sindhu and Nozomi Okuhara at World Badminton Championship
Sunday's final will be a rematch of the recently concluded World Championships gold medal match and the Indian will be looking to avenge her loss, as both the shuttlers face each other in their second meeting in three weeks.
Sindhu started her campaign with a crushing 21-12,21-8 victory over Cheung Ngan Yi of Hong Kong. In her second round, she got better of Thailand’s Nitchaon Jindapol in two tightly contested game which she won 22-20,21-17. In the quarterfinal match, she was stretched to three games by Japan’s Minatsu Mitani, but in the end, Sindhu prevailed over Mitani to clinch the match 21-19,16-21,21-10.
In her semifinal encounter on Saturday, the fifth-seeded Indian faced China He Bingjiao who was seeded sixth in the tournament. Once again Sindhu won the first game comfortably 21-10. In the second game, Bingjiao fought back to win the second game 17-21. In the third encounter, Sindhu managed to hold on to the lead and win the game and the match 21-16.
Meanwhile, eighth-seed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan started her campaign with a stuttering 21-19,21-17 win over Beiwen Zhang of United States of America. In the second round, Okuhara faced her compatriot Sakaya Sato whom she beat 21-16,21-13. In the quarterfinal, Okuhara dispatched Yip Pui Yin of Hong Kong. In the semi-final, Okuhara overcame second seed and compatriot Akane Yamaguchi 21-17,21-18 to enter the final.
In the BWF World Championships final last month, both shuttlers gave everything they had in one of the most brutal contests seen in the history of the championship, where neither of them had the strength to stand, but somehow they managed to push themselves.
The 21-shot rally between both of them in the second game was the highlight of the final after the which Okuhara lay flat on the ground with no energy left.
In the end, Okuhara held her nerves and clinched the gold medal by beating Sindhu 21-19, 20-22, 22-20 in a contest that lasted for 110 minutes.
The Korean Open Super Series women’s singles final will be a mouth-watering clash between the two finalists of the World Championships. The match will be expected to be a close -fought affair between the two and the player with strong mental and physical strength will be expected to come out on top.
