Saina, Sindhu cruise, on course for final clash
JAKARTA: The roar was deafening. On the adjacent court, local hero Jonatan Christie was decimating Hong Kong’s Vincent Wong in the men’s quarter-finals. Not many would have even seen Saina Nehwal and Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon enter the courts for the women’s quarter-final, unpack their kits and commence the proceeding.
With the GBK badminton complex packed to the rafters, it seemed both competitors were initially finding it difficult to come to grips with the charged up atmosphere. Saina looked edgy and Intanon, who tried to display a cool demeanour, looked like something was bothering her.
Having lost to the Indian in the previous four outings — the last one coming in the World Championships this month — it was but natural that she was keen to avenge the loss. And what better way to do it than on the biggest continental stage.
The Thai was well on her way to ‘thrashing’ Saina, before an amazing turnaround by the Indian saw her ensure a maiden individual medal at the continental Games and become the second player after Syed Modi to earn a singles medal for the country in 36 years.
In the end, the 21-18, 21-16 scor- eline was not a true reflection of how close Saina came to losing the match.
PV Sindhu too later assured India of at least a bronze after a tough contest against another Thai opponent, world No 11 Nitchaon Jindapol, winning 21-11, 16-21, 21-14 in 58 minutes. In the semis, Saina will face Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying, who beat Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara 21-15, 21-10, and Sindhu will face Akane Yamaguchi, who beat China’s Chen Yufei 21-19, 21-11. The Indian duo remain on course for a clash in the final.
Perhaps rattled by the crowd and ‘unable to move that well’ in the first game, Saina trailed by nine points (3-12) at one stage. The Indian seemed to have hit a low point, unable to accurately judge the backline or retrieve the net placements of her rival. The match seemed headed for a washout and Saina herself said after the contest that she ‘had given up hope of winning the first game’. But a couple of long rallies opened her up and she also closed her eyes and ears to ‘the deafening roar around.’
Picking up the pieces, Saina started to win most of her points with accurate backline placements.
A net dribble following a long rally finally saw her come on par with Intanon at 17-17 and then when Intanon shot wide of the sideline to win the first game, the match was well and truly in Saina’s grasp. Playing the second game on her terms, Saina was always in the lead and the laboured movement gave way to fluent court coverage. In fact, after the first game, she ‘started deriving energy from the partisan crowd’.
Saina doesn’t have a great record against world No 1 Tai Tzu Ying. She has lost nine consecutive matches against the Chinese Taipei player since 2014, her last win coming in the 2013 Swiss Open. “Intanon played really well today. I knew she would challenge me, despite me having beaten her in four consecutive outings coming into the Asian Games.” said Saina.
“The opening game was really challenging. The second game was more comfortable,” she added.
IN THE SEMIFINALS, SAINA WILL FACE CHINESE TAIPEI’S TAI TZU YING WHILE SINDHU WILL FACE AKANE YAMAGUCHI, WHO BEAT CHINA’S CHEN YUFEI