Saina sets up final with old nemesisTai Tzu Ying
DENMARK OPEN World No. 10 defeats Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska in straight games KIDAMBI SRIKANTH LOST HIS MEN’S SINGLES SEMIFINAL AGAINST WORLD NO. 1 AND TOP SEED KENTO MOMOTA OF JAPAN 2116, 2112 TO
BOW OUT IN 42 MINUTES ODENSE, DENMARK:
Saina Nehwal brushed aside Indonesian Gregoria Mariska Tunjung’s challenge in just 30 minutes to enter the final of Denmark Open with a 21-11, 21-12 scoreline on Saturday.
Earlier, Saina defeated eighth seed and former world champion Nozomi Okuhara 17-21, 21-16, 21-12. The win was particularly satisfying for the Indian as she had lost her three previous encounters against the Japanese.
However, Saina will have a tough nut to crack in the final in Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying. The world No. 1 defeated China’s seventh seed He Bingjiao 21-14, 21-12. Saina, first Indian badminton player to win an Olympic medal, has lost 10 straight matches against Tai Tzu. Her last victory came at the 2013 Swiss Open. Overall, their headto-head record stands at 12-5 in favour of Tai Tzu. SWEET REVENGE
In the quarter-finals, world No. 10 Saina recovered after the losing the first game to beat Okuhara.
The final point of the match was a long rally which ended with the Japanese finding the net. Saina had also lost to the 2017 World Champion during the team event at the Asian Games in August.
Overall, their head-to-head record stands at 7-4 in the Indian’s favour.
SRIKANTH LOSES However, in the men’s section star Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth lost his singles semi-final match to world No. 1 Kento Momota of Japan to bow out on Saturday.
Second seed Momota took 42 minutes to outplay the seventh seed Indian shuttler 21-16, 21-12 in straight games to advance.
Srikanth struggled from the start and failed to find his rhythm which cost him the match.
Earlier, he dug deep against countryman Verma with little separating the two in an intense men’s singles quarterfinal.
In the end, world number six Srikanth prevailed over the 23-ranked Indian in an epic battle lasting an hour and 18 minutes with the final scoreline reading 22-20, 19-21, 23-21.