Indian badminton sensation PV Sindhu on Wednesday produced a giant killing act to make the semi-finals of women’s singles competition at Rio Olympics 2016. The frustrated Chinese player, a silver medalist in London Olympics four years ago, looked rattled and wanted to change the shuttle to buy some time but was snubbed by the chair umpire once. Some fierce stroke play was on display with the one having better control prevailing over the other.
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The scorecard read 22-20, 21-19, in what was a stunning match that lasted 55 minutes. Wang managed to pull a point back, but Sindhu dominated the Chinese in the long rallies to score another three points on the trot to clinch a five-point lead. Sindhu showed some good judgement and accumulated points riding on her opponents’ unforced errors but Wang still entered the break with a 11-8 lead.
But Sindhu levelled again at 17-17 before Wang hit a return into the net to concede the lead once again. The Indian used her reach to play some reverse angled strokes to catch Wang off guard and grabbed the lead when the Chinese found the net. What came next was the longest rally which ended with Wang winning the point with a forehand return at the back of the court. The Chinese then roared back when Sindhu hit the nets.
Wang, a former World and Asian champion, had the stronger start, outfoxing Sindhu time and again with her clever placements which often forced the Indian to make mistakes.
Sindhu upped the ante in the second game, belying her world No. 10 ranking to take a 8-3 lead in the second game, combining deadly agility with reach. She led 11-8 at the break as the majority Indian crowd present in the stadium egged her on.
Before they came from the shock of it, Wang won another point to lead 19-18 threatening Indian’s prospects. The 21-year-old played an immaculate defensive game and made Wang Yihan work doubly hard for each and every point. Wang hit the net on the decisive point as Sindhu fell to the ground in jubilation.
Serving at 16-13, Sindhu took two back to back points before Wang claimed five consecutive points to draw level at 18-18.
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Not to be outdone, Sindhu drew level with a clever placement and went into game and match point with a powerful smash into Wang’s body.
