She will take on Spain’s Carolina Marin for the gold in the final match to be held on Friday.
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At 21:21 IST at the Riocentro, PV Sindhu guaranteed that she would become the fifth, having beaten Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara – ranked sixth in the world – in straight sets 21-19, 21-10 spanning 51 minutes in the semi-finals of the women’s badminton singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In the second game, Sindhu won 10 straight points to make it 19-10 after leading the game at 11-10. First time in the Olympics and also playing the final tomorrow is a very great feeling. “I will play my heart out”, Sindhu told reporters. Sometimes, Gopi was not able to come to the court due to cold or cough, but his ambition was only one thing that we have to win and get a medal. “Definitely, I feel that I’ve a chance”, Sindhu said. It’s just that I have to give my 100 per cent. Just one more match to go and I am very, very focused.
Her path to the final at the Rio games hasn’t been easy tough. She played really well. “It depends who gives her best and does well will win the final tomorrow”.
Born in a family of Volleyball players, Sindhu says she was inspired by her coach Pullela Gopichand’s win at the 2001 All England Badminton Championship and chose badminton over volleyball.
The Hyderabad-based shuttler has only lost one game in the entire tournament so far highlighting her form heading into the even.She said, “The game against Michelle Li was tough, she was playing some precise badminton and was probably the toughest one I played here”. I’ll be really prepared for everything. It won’t be easy. Sindhu strategy for long rallies at one point took a point to 32 strokes! It just depends on that day. She added, “I think they key for my victory was that I didn’t leave my foot from the gas and kept applying pressure”.
Moments after her win that has assured India a silver, Bindra tweeted, “You’ve no idea how lonely it’s been, I’m waiting for you to join me in the club”.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also showered praises on the ace shuttler and wished her all the best for her final encounter against World No. 1 Carolina Marin. “I will give everything I have on the court to get the gold medal that I want so badly”, said the 23-year-old Spaniard. However, Okuhara came back strongly with some brilliant defensive play to make it 5-5. She’s an experienced player and world number two. In any case, it is always hard to follow a big win with another big win, just as it is hard to follow a great round of golf with another.
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Earlier, Marin also entered her maiden Olympic final beating London Olympic champion Li Xuerui 21-14, 21-16.
