Sindhu to fight for gold, Saina bags bronze
Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu remained in the hunt for a historic Asian Games gold medal after a tense win but Saina Nehwal settled for a bronze following her 10th straight defeat against world number one Tai Tzu Ying, on Monday.
World number three Sindhu beat Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 15-21, 21-10 for her second win over the Japanese at the Asian Games, having beaten her in the team championship as well. The energy-sapping 65minute match featured a 50shot rally in the decider, which Sindhu won.
World No. 10 and Olympic medallist Saina played with good intensity but lost 17-21, 14-21 to a superior Tzu Ying, who stood out with her court coverage and retrieving in the 32-minute contest.
Sindhu will now fight it out with Tzu Ying to win India’s first ever individual gold in badminton. The Indian will have to punch above her weight as she has not managed to beat the Chinese Taipei shuttler in the last contests. Syed Modi’s bronze in men’s singles at the 1982 Games in New Delhi was the only individual medal for India at the Asian Games.
Sindhu was sluggish at the start, making unforced errors but recovered quickly to be in control. Yamaguchi played an attacking game but the tall Sindhu had strokes to counter her rival. Sindhu dominated the rallies and created an 11-8 lead at first break. The Indian remained solid at the net, using a variety of stroke to force the Japanese world number two to make errors.
In the second game too Sindhu remained the dominant player but unforced errors crept in and she lost the lead. Yamaguchi pulled off a stunning point, leading at 1412 after forcing an error from Sindhu, who kept retrieving the shuttler, using one smash after another.
The Indian reeled off four points in a row to shoot to 7-3 in the deciding game, before taking the break with a 11-7 lead. She also won a sensational 50-shot rally to pull away 16-8. With such a big lead at hand, Sindhu finished the match in her favour with a superb smash.
Sindhu said she has a strategy in place to outwit Tzu Ying in the final on Tuesday. “I have a strategy in place for her. It should be a good match,” said Sindhu, who has not beaten Tzu Ying in their last five meetings
Both Saina and Tzu Ying attacked each other’s backhand but it was the Chinese Taipei player who scored more points. She raced to a 41 lead in the opening game.
The Chinese Taipei shuttler took four straight points to zoom to a 15-10 cushion, leaving Saina to play the catch up game. Tactically sound and supremely fit Tzu Ying retrieved almost everything thrown at her.
At 19-16, Tzu Ying hit another smash on Saina’s backhand to grab her first game point and converted it when the Indian sailed over the baseline. In the second game also, Saina was again playing the catch up game. Tzu Ying never looked like losing control though Saina tried hard to breach her rival’s defense.
A 10th straight loss to the same opponent hurts and Saina conceded that she has just not been able to figure out World No. 1 Tzu Ying given her huge repertoire of shots and an unpredictable approach. “I need to be quicker and have smooth movements, lot more shots as well, to finish the rallies (against her). Somewhere she will catch you. Every rally is a different rally with her. Most players have set pattern but she has got a variety of shots,” Saina said.
“I definitely (need) the hand speed, bit more movement and not give her the chance to play her shots. There’s a special quality. She is someone who is not easy to read. As a player I have tried to read but she always comes up with a new shot.”
She is someone who is not easy to read. Not all the coaches can read her. As a player I have tried to read but she always comes up with a new shot. — Saina on Tzu Ying