Press Trust of India
Kunshan (China), May 19: Indian women’s badminton team assured themselves of at least a bronze medal after notching up a comfortable 3-1 win over Thailand in the quarterfinals of the Uber Cup here Thursday. Both the losing semifinalists of the Uber Cup event are presented with bronze medals.
The Indian eve shuttlers had created history in the last edition when it clinched a historic bronze in New Delhi after losing to Japan in the semifinals. It was their first medal in the competition.
On a day when India’s top shuttler Saina Nehwal bit the dust against 2013 World Champion, Ratchanok Intanon in the first singles, PV Sindhu and the pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa took the responsibility on themselves and won the second singles and first doubles to bring India back.
Then it was the turn of young shuttler Ruthvika Gadde, who sealed the win for India after she dished out a superb match to outclass Nitchaon Jindapol in the third singles. India are likely to take on China in the semifinals Friday and keeping in mind the depth of the Chinese squad it may well turn out to be their last match of the competition.
“And we are through to the semis!! Woooohooooo! Way to go team! Great team work! Brilliant play Ruthvika,” Ashwini wrote on her twitter page.
Olympic bronze medallist Saina started the proceedings but she could not breach the defence of World No. 2 Ratchanok, who notched up a 21-12, 21-19 win over the Indian to give Thailand a 1-0 lead. It was World No. 8 Saina’s fifth defeat to the Thai girl in nine meetings.
However, World No. 10 Sindhu brought India back in the hunt after registering a 21-18, 21-7 win over Busanan Ongbumrungphan in the second singles which lasted 43 minutes at the Kunshan Sports Center Stadium here.
In the first doubles Jwala and Ashwini prevailed 21-19, 21-12 over Puttita Supajirakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai in a 39-minute clash to make it 2-1 in India’s favour.
Ruthvika was then given the responsibility of taking India home and the 19-year-old showed her prowess with a 21-18, 21-16 win over World No. 25 Jindapol in a 41-minute third singles to seal the victory for India.
The second doubles between Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai and N Sikki Reddy and Sindhu was thus rendered inconsequential.
