Sindhu, Srikanth lose in openers
Bangkok, Jan. 27: Star Indian shuttlers P. V. Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth fought their hearts out before suffering close defeats in their respective group ‘B’ openers at the $1.5 million HSBC BWF World Tour Finals here on Wednesday.
A week after a demoralising defeat at the Toyota Thailand Open quarterfinals, World champion Sindhu produced a muchimproved performance but still lost to world number one Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan 21-19, 12-21, 17-21.
“It was a good match, there were no easy points. In the third game I came back and it was just one point difference at one stage. I broke my racket strings twice (during rallies) and that made a difference,” Sindhu said.
“It’s a tough group. I have to give 100 per cent,” she added.
It was Sindhu’s 16th defeat to Tzu Ying in 21 meetings.
Former world number one Srikanth too squandered an opening game advantage, losing 21-15, 1621, 18-21 to world number three Anders Antonsen of Denmark in a gruelling 77minute contest.
Olympic silver medallist Sindhu, who had won the prestigious title in 2018, will next play home favourites Ratchanok Intanon, who had handed her a humiliating defeat last week, while Srikanth, ranked 14th, will face
It was a good match, there were no easy points. In the third game I came back and it was just one point difference at one stage. I broke my racket strings twice (during rallies) and that made a difference.
— P. V. SINDHU after going down to Tai Tzu Ying 21-19, 12-21, 17-21
fourth seed Wang Tzu Wei of Chinese Taipei on Thursday.
In the women’s singles, the opening game was a close fight as Sindhu and Tzu Ying engaged in an enticing battle.
Tzu Ying led 5-3 early on before grabbing a 11-8 advantage at the interval as Sindhu lost a few points on the net.
In the decider, Tzu Ying again led 6-3 but she stumbled to defensive errors as Sindhu levelled the score with a smash.
However, the second seed Taiwanese held a 11-9 lead at the break after Sindhu made another error at the backline.
After the change of sides, Sindhu managed to keep the two-point difference till 13-15 before a lucky net cord and a weak return at the net by Sindhu gave Tzu Ying a 17-13 lead.
Sindhu narrowed it to 1618 and then 17-19 before Tzu Ying sealed the contest with the Indian going to the net twice. —