Gritty Sindhu puts Chennai ahead

World no. 3 P. V. Sindhu defeated no. 11 Beiwen Zhang 12- 15, 15- 7, 15- 9 to help Chennai Smashers take a 2- 1 lead in the Premier Badminton League match against Mumbai Rockets here on Wednesday.

Sindhu lost the first game 12- 15 but displayed grit and composure to bag the second game 15- 7.

In the third game, Zhang went ahead 5- 4 but Sindhu seized the initiative thereafter, taking a 8- 7 lead.

From thereon Sindhu stretched her opponent from one end of the court to another to win the third and final game 15- 9.

Earlier, world no. 24 Brice Leverdez of France staved off a staunch challenge from world no. 30 Sameer Verma, beating him 15- 14, 10- 15 and 15- 14 in a high- octane men’s singles clash.

Verma pulled off accurate deceptive shots to level at 9- 9 after Leverdez went into the break with an 8- 6 lead. However, the Frenchman was on top of his game to clinch the alldecisive point when the scores were tied at 14- 14.

In the men’s doubles encounter, Mumbai Rockets’ Lee Yong Dae and Tan Boon Heong toyed with the Smasher’s pair of B. Sumeeth Reddy and Lee Yang, defeating them 15- 9, 15- 6. The first game ended in Rockets’ favour as they broke away from an 8- 6 lead to win it 15- 9.

The next game saw the pair of Dae and Heong attempt steep smashes, thrashing their opponents 15- 6.