Press Trust of India
Seoul, Sept 16: Top Indian shuttler PV Sindhu started her campaign at the USD 6,00,000 Korea Open with a hard-fought win over Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon, but it was curtains for Parupalli Kashyap in men’s singles at the Super Series tournament here Wednesday.
Sindhu eked out a 21-19, 21-23, 21-13 win over the former World Champion in a women’s singles match that lasted 69 minutes.
Commonwealth Games champion Kashyap, however, could not cross the opening round hurdle after his battle ended with a narrow 21-17, 16-21, 18-21, loss against Wei Nan of Hong Kong in a 60-minute tie.
It was also curtains for Pradnya Gadre and Sikki Reddy in the women’s doubles as they suffered a 24-26, 9-21 loss to the Japanese pair of Shizuka Matsuo and Mami Naito at the SK Handball Stadium here.
Sindhu, who came into the match with a 0-3 record against the World No. 5 Intanon, showed her mettle till the end to emerge victories against an opponent who had beaten her in straight games all three times in 2013.
The two players engaged in a tooth and nail fight from the start as after Sindhu opened up a narrow 4-2 lead in the opening game early on. However, Intanon turned the tables and moved to a 9-6 advantage.
The Indian then reeled off four straight points to wrest back the initiative but after that it turned out a rollercoaster ride as lead changed hands too frequently before Sindhu broke off at 18-18 to close the first game in her favour.
In the second game, Sindhu fought back from 4-7 and 8-12 to jump to a 20-15 lead and with a chance to seal the match but Intanon produced six straight points to take the lead and then close the game.
In the decider, Intanon quickly grabbed a 7-3 lead but the a gritty Sindhu soon clawed back and started dominating the proceedings as she continued to extend the gap which the Thai girl could not bridge.
Kashyap won the first game and then had a 16-12 lead in the second. But then Wen reeled off five points in a row two wrest the initiative and from then on was always in control.
At a glance
PV Sindhu bt Ratchanok Intanon 21-19, 21-23, 21-13
Parupalli Kashyap lost to Wei Nan 21-17, 16-21, 18-21
Pradnya Gadre & N Sikki Reddy lost to Shizuka Matsuo & Mami Naito 24-26, 9-21
