Sindhu downs Saina in thriller, Sameer bows out

Rio Olympics silver medalist PV Sindhu showed nerves of steel to beat her compatriot Saina Nehwal 21-16, 22-20 to cruise into the semifinals of the BWF Metlife Yonex-Sunrise India Open World Superseries played here at the Siri Fort Sports Complex on Friday.

The match which was perhaps the biggest in the tournament's history saw the World No.5 Sindhu start a slight favourite considering her recent run of form and she lived up to the reputation to qualify for the last four of the India Open for the first time in her career.

Saina began strongly, matching Sindhu stroke per stroke. Her bodyline shots on Sindhu seemed to be a pre-game tactic and it rattled Sindhu throughout the match. However, Sindhu, rising a wave of confidence, didn't flinch. Her repertoire of strokes gave, particularly the cross-court ones, her a 15-9 advantage, thanks to a spell of six successive points from nine.

With a six-point gap, it seemed easy for Sindhu but Saina, the fighter and the determined competitor that she is, tried to carve out a fierce comeback but Sindhu held on to her advantage to clinch the first game 21-16.

Even though Saina lost the first game, her late charge gave her some sort of momentum that she carried into the second game. Her bodyline shots created trouble for Sindhu again and the 21-year-old always had to play catch-up game.

Moreover, Saina showed her experienced as she dictated the pace of the game. Her preference of playing move the shuttle fast gave her a 12-7 crucial lead. Having put a lot of energy and power to be in the lead, Saina looked a bit tired and it allowed Sindhu to comeback.

Sindhu, who is six years younger than Saina, is at her peak and she doesn't not hesitate playing long rallies. She was aided by Saina's tiredness as the latter placed couple of shots wide and long. Sindhu also snatched couple of points by smashing cross-court to the left of Saina, who couln't reply.

At the 19-point mark, Sindhu equalised and then Saina played another successful bodyline stroke to be one point away from taking the tie to the third game. But a ruthless Sindhu fought back to be at 20-all.

Then, Saina made her first service error at this critical juncture and Sindhu made the most of it. She followed it up with another powerful stroke and the game over, match sealed.

"I felt no pressure even when she was ahead in the second game. I had confidence in myself and when it was 20-20 in the second it was anybody's game. But I belief in myself and was confident that I could turn it around," Sindhu said after the match.

Sindhu will now be up against World No. 4 Sung Ji Hyun of Korea which promises to be yet another exciting match. Sung Ji had earlier beat defending champion Ratchanok Intanon 21-16, 22-10 in 49 minutes to avenge for her loss at the All England.

The other semi-final will be fought between Top seed and 2016 Olympic champion Carolina Marin and Japanese fourth seed Akane Yamaguchi.

Spaniard Marin won against Japanese Minatsu Mitani 21-10, 20-22, 21-14 to set-up a clash against another Japanese. Yamaguchi got the better of compatriot seventh seed Nozomi Okuhara 21-13, 11-21, 21-18.

In the men's section, India's hope were shattered after Sameer Verma went down to unseeded Ander Antonsen 22-24, 21-19 of Denmark to crash out of the tournament.

In another match, top seeded Carolina Marin of Spain beat Minatsi Mitani of Japan 21-10, 20-22, 21-14 in 57 minutes to stay on course to qualify for the finals her first India Open title. She will now be up against Akane Yamaguchi of Japan who beat her compatriot Nozomi Okuhara 21-12, 9-21, 21-18.