Pune level score after Sai shocked Nguyen
16 Aug 2013 5:02 AM IST
Juliane Schenk of Pune Pistons levelled the tie at 1-1 against Krrish Delhi Smashers by winning the women’s singles in the inaugural Indian Badminton League (IBL) at Siri Fort Sports Complex on Wednesday. The German won 21-15, 21-6 against Jindapon Nichaon of Delhi.
Earlier, Krrish Delhi Smashers’ B Sai Praneeth shocked Pune Pistons’ Nguyen Tien Minh, ranked seventh in the world, in the first match. The Indian shuttler beat Vietnam’s Nguyen 21-16, 21-20.
Meanwhile, fans are set to witness a grand Independence Day clash between India’s two top women’s singles players, Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, here on Thursday. It will be the first time the two players will be facing each other in a competitive match. While Saina will be playing for her home team Hyderabad Hotshots, Sindhu will be representing Awadhe Warriors on the last day of the Delhi-leg of the $1 million tournament.
Sindhu, 18, recently won the World Championship bronze, the third instance for India, and is riding high on confidence. For the 23-year-old Saina, it has been a year since winning the Olympic bronze in London and being the senior she will be looking to stamp her supremacy. Both hail from Hyderabad and train under national coach Pullela Gopichand, who has already said that he won’t be anywhere near the stadium when the two girls fight it out.
Sindhu, however, played down the media hype surrounding the clash and said: ‘Saina is a great player. It will be exciting to play against her. She is experienced and playing very well. I will just play my game and give my 100 percent.’ Gopichand remained diplomatic and said it was not about ‘Saina or Sindhu but Saina and Sindhu.’ ‘I always tell it openly that when both of them are shuttling, I am nowhere in the stadium. It is then up to them. I just wish in years to come, they will play a lot of finals against each other, so we are assured of gold and silver, irrespective of who wins or loses,’ said Gopichand.
Earlier, Krrish Delhi Smashers’ B Sai Praneeth shocked Pune Pistons’ Nguyen Tien Minh, ranked seventh in the world, in the first match. The Indian shuttler beat Vietnam’s Nguyen 21-16, 21-20.
Meanwhile, fans are set to witness a grand Independence Day clash between India’s two top women’s singles players, Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, here on Thursday. It will be the first time the two players will be facing each other in a competitive match. While Saina will be playing for her home team Hyderabad Hotshots, Sindhu will be representing Awadhe Warriors on the last day of the Delhi-leg of the $1 million tournament.
Sindhu, 18, recently won the World Championship bronze, the third instance for India, and is riding high on confidence. For the 23-year-old Saina, it has been a year since winning the Olympic bronze in London and being the senior she will be looking to stamp her supremacy. Both hail from Hyderabad and train under national coach Pullela Gopichand, who has already said that he won’t be anywhere near the stadium when the two girls fight it out.
Sindhu, however, played down the media hype surrounding the clash and said: ‘Saina is a great player. It will be exciting to play against her. She is experienced and playing very well. I will just play my game and give my 100 percent.’ Gopichand remained diplomatic and said it was not about ‘Saina or Sindhu but Saina and Sindhu.’ ‘I always tell it openly that when both of them are shuttling, I am nowhere in the stadium. It is then up to them. I just wish in years to come, they will play a lot of finals against each other, so we are assured of gold and silver, irrespective of who wins or loses,’ said Gopichand.
Next Story
