PV Sindhu thrashes Ratchanok Intanon to enter India Open final
PV Sindhu put up a clinical performance against former world champion Ratchanok Intanon to storm into the women’s singles final of India Open 2018. She will face fifth seed Beiwen Zhang in the final
Sindhu tamed former World Champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 21-13, 21-15 to set up title clash with fifth seed Beiwen Zhang in the India Open.
USA’s Zhang fought from a game down to upstage sixth seeded Cheung Ngan Yi of Hong Kong 14-21, 21-12, 21-19.
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Backed by vociferous home fans at the Siri Fort Indoor Stadium, Sindhu made a sensational start by collecting 12 points on the trot with a combination of lethal cross-court matches and brilliant net play. She eased down a little at 13-3 but she had already done enough damage to pocket the game in 20 minutes.
The second game was a little more closely fought, with Intanon managing to get her game going. But a charged up Sindhu was in no mood to let up, clinching the game and match to set herself up for her second straight Indian Open title.
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The 27-year-old Zhang, who is based in Las Vegas, later said, “I have the habit of starting slowly. But then I forced her to make errors,” she said, before exclaiming: “But I’m not surprised to be in the final.”
India’s challenge in the doubles ended when the mixed pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Sikki Reddy lost to fifth seeds Mathias Christiansen and Christinna Pedersen of Denmark 16-21, 19-21 in the semis.
In the women’s doubles, Indonesian pair of Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu (Ina) stunned the Danish top seeds Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen 21-14, 19-21, 21-18 in a three-game thriller that lasted one hour and 21 minutes.