Reigning world champion PV Sindhu kept alive India’s hopes of a first-ever Olympic gold in badminton by reaching the semi-finals of the women’s singles with a straight-game win over world No.5 Japanese Akane Yamaguchi on Friday.
The 26-year-old will next face second seed Taiwanese Tai Tzu-ying, who edged out Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon 14-21 21-18 21-18 in another quarter final match. China’s Chen Yu Fei and He Bing Jiao are the other two semi-finalists. Both matches are on Saturday.
The world No.1 Tai Tzu, whom Sindhu’s coach Park Tae-sang considers her “biggest rival”, has an overwhelming 13-7 advantage against the Indian.
Sindhu, who has lost to Tai Tzu on the last three occasions, has, however, managed to outwit the Taiwanese shuttler in important events such as the 2016 Rio Games, 2019 World Championships and the 2018 World Tour Finals.
On Friday, Sindhu, the Rio Games silver medallist, defended brilliantly and rode on her attacking all-round game to outclass the fourth seeded Yamaguchi 21-13, 22-20 in a 56-minute quarter final clash at the Musashino Forest Plaza.
“The first game was mostly under my control. I was gaining the lead but I didn’t take it easy because in her previous matches she came back. But I maintained the lead and finished it off,” Sindhu, seeded sixth, said.
Yamaguchi scripted a late comeback in the second game, including dragging Sindhu into an energy-sapping rally which had an extraordinary 54-stroke exchange. It ended with Yamaguchi sending the shuttle at the backhand of Sindhu, who was gasping for breath. The Japanese grabbed two game points but Sindhu saved both and ensured there were no further hiccups to register her 12th win over Yamaguchi in 19 meetings. She had last beaten the Japanese at the All England Championship in March this year.
“I wasn’t nervous even though she was at game point, my coach was saying: ‘It’s okay, keep the focus and you’ll get there’. He was constantly supporting me and that got me by and I’m happy I got back in two games,” Sindhu said.
India Watch: Saturday
- Golf — Men’s Individual Round 3 (4am)
- Equestrian — Eventing dressage day 2, session 3 (5am)
- Athletics — Women’s discus throw, qualification group A (6am)
- Archery — Men’s individual 1/8 eliminations (7.18am)
- Athletics — Women’s discus throw, qualification group B (7.25am)
- Boxing — Men’s 48-52kg Round of 16 (7.30am)
- Shooting — Women’s 50m rifle 3 position qualification (8.30am)
- Sailing — Men’s skiff 49er, race 10, 11 & 12 (8.35am)
- Hockey — Women’s Pool A, vs South Africa (8.45am)
- Shooting — Women’s 50m rifle 3 position final, subject to qualification (12.30pm)
- Badminton — Women’s singles semi-final, PV Sindhu vs Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan (3.20pm)
- Boxing — Women’s 69-75kg quarter final (3.36pm)
- Athletics — Men’s long jump, qualification group B (3.40pm)
All timings in IST