Press Trust of India
Jakarta, August 13: Two-time World Championship bronze-medallist PV Sindhu stunned Olympic champion and former World No. 1 Chinese Li Xuerui in a hard-fought contest, while Saina Nehwal sailed into the women’s singles quarterfinals after an easy win in the World Badminton Championship here Thursday. Also advancing to the last eight stage in women’s doubles was the, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa combo with a 21-15, 18-21, 21-19 victory over Japanese eighth seeds Reika Kakiiwa and Miyuki Maeda.
The 11th seeded Sindhu, who clinched the bronze medal in 2013 and 2014 editions of this tournament, posted an upset win over Xuerui 21-17, 14-21, 21-17 in a battle that lasted 50 minutes. Saina, on the other hand, overcame the 14th-seeded Sayaka Takahashi of Japan 21-18, 21-14 in 47 minutes.
If Saina and Sindhu are able to win their respective quarterfinal matches, they would both be assured of at least a bronze medal each. Sindhu will next take on eighth seeded Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea and Saina would be up against the winner of the match between Wang Yihan and Bae Yeon Ju.
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.
In the decider Sindhu jumped into an 11-6 lead. However, the Chinese caught up at 14-all. But then Sindhu won four points on the trot with some delectable net play and managed to close out the match without any fuss.
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 managed to catch up at 18-all and that ended Takahashi’s resistance. Saina won the next three points to close out the first game 21-18.
The second game was an easy affair for Saina as she was always in control. She built up a five-point lead midway in the second game and from then on it was easy pickings.
At a glance
PV Sindhu bt Li Xuerui 21-17, 14-21, 21-17
Saina Nehwal bt Sayaka Takahashi 21-18, 21-14
Jwala Gutta & Ashwini Ponnappa bt Reika Kakiiwa & Miyuki Maeda 21-15, 18-21, 21-19
