New Delhi: Pullela Gopichand sat through the entire 42-minute classic with a stoic face. And when someone in the stands extended a hand after PV Sindhu’s 21-16, 22-20 victory over Saina Nehwal in the Indian Open Super Series badminton tournament here Friday, Gopichand merely touched it. There was no outward expression of joy, just a mere pre-functionary smile.
At 20-19 in the second game, Saina was serving to square the score at 1-1. But then it all went awry. She served into the net, made a fatal error of judgment on the next point and then Sindhu just closed out the match with a forehand kill on Saina’s backhand to book her semifinal berth.
After easily winning the first game, when she broke away after trailing 6-8 to a 15-9 lead, Sindhu appeared to be in trouble in the second game. Saina was playing some lovely drops and flicks at the net and she lead 7-4, 11-7 and 16-12. Saina’s body smashes were troubling Sindhu a lot and it looked like the senior pro from Hyderabad, would restore parity. But then from 18-16 onwards, things went horribly wrong for Saina.
In the end, however, Saina’s 11 errors while judging the shuttle proved very crucial.
It paved the way for the new order to replace the old guard.
Agencies
