PV Sindhu loses to Korean sensation An Se-young in the final of BWF World Tour Finals
India’s world champion struggles with slow shuttles and her teenaged opponent’s brilliant game and anticipation in her first final since March.
When PV Sindhu was crowned world champion in August 2019, An Se-young was 17, ranked 29th in the world, and had won only a few lower tier tournaments.
Much has happened since then. The South Korean, now 19, is now world No.6—one rung higher than Sindhu, winning top-level tournaments by beating the best and is being touted as the next big thing in women’s badminton.
If ever there was a doubt about her talent and ascendency, she laid them to rest by outclassing world champion Sindhu 21-16, 21-12 in 39 minutes to win the biggest title of her career, the prestigious $1.5 million BWF World Tour Finals. The South Korean capped a flawless, unbeaten three-week run in Bali, having won the Indonesia Masters and Indonesia Open too in the last two weeks.
Such has been An’s dominance over Sindhu, 26, that the Indian has not been able to win a game in three meetings. Sunday’s final at the Bali International Convention Center was no different with the Korean winning 42 of the 70 points.
“The playing conditions definitely suited An Se-young better. The shuttles were extremely slow. She keeps a good length, pushes (the shuttle) too deep back with those high clears, plays very simple badminton and brings you to her rhythm and pace,” said former India chief coach, U Vimal Kumar. “Tactics need to change a little to outpace her. In these conditions, it was very tough. I don’t think anybody could have played that sharp to get past her. That’s why she won all three tournaments.”
An forced Sindhu to commit errors from the start with the Indian hitting wide regularly. The South Korean, using the lofts and slowing the pace, frustrated Sindhu, who is aggressive and prefers a fast-paced game.
The only mild weakness An, who idolises Thailand’s former world champion Ratchanok Intanon, showed in Bali was perhaps in her backhand returns. But the teenager controlled the game from the start and didn’t give Sindhu the chance to exploit that. An was in total control, full of confidence after winning two back-to-back titles, and was easily able to anticipate Sindhu’s shots, retrieve and finish them early, thereby keeping the rallies short.
Though Sindhu showed her brilliance in a point or two, An’s masterclass overshadowed her. Sindhu, who won the event in 2018, tried hard but pushed the bird deep, and many a time wide, handing the first game to An in just 18 minutes.
“The Korean was engaging Sindhu by taking pace off the shots, slowing her down completely, not giving her the pace. And these slow shuttles are very tough to put down,” said Vimal, who is a member of the senior selection committee. “An had much better footwork, moved fluently. Somebody had to do anything very sharp to hassle her (in the three tournaments); somebody like Carolina Marin or Tai Tzu Ying who can. Even Sindhu can do it, but she seemed a couple of notches slow today.”
Sindhu tried to attack at the start of the second game, rushing to the net more but An was always a step ahead, easily anticipating the shots of the double Olympic medallist. The Korean watched the bird till the last moment before bringing her malleable wrist into play. Smoothly, she would control the bird, either putting it down or forcing Sindhu to play wide. She closed out the second game in 21 minutes to clinch the title.
“She’s a good player so it wasn’t going to be easy. I shouldn’t have given the lead from the start. If I’d controlled the start then maybe it could have been different. During the rallies, shots that I wanted to attack were going out as I was not in position. It is all part of the game, happens at times,” said Sindhu, who played her first final since the Swiss Open loss in March. “It is a little sad but I got to learn a lot. I had three good weeks so lots of positives to recover and get prepared for the World Championships.”
Without a title since winning the 2019 world championships in Basel, Sindhu will next go the worlds in Huelva, Spaniard Marin’s hometown, to defend her title from December 12-19. Kumar is confident of Sindhu delivering in a week’s time.
“The World Championships would be good for Sindhu. Akane Yamaguchi, Pornpawee Chochuwong, An Se-young and Sindhu have been playing (back-to-back tournaments) but those people (the first three) played the team championships too, so they could be drained. Also, Chen Yufei is missing,” he said.
Seeded sixth and given a first round bye, Sindhu is likely to face Thai ninth seed Chochuwong in Round 3, world No.1 Tai Tzu in the quarter-finals and three-time world champion Marin in the semi-finals.
“I am not very sure about Carolina and Tai Tzu. Both haven’t been playing. Carolina is coming back after a serious injury. Tai Tzu lacks match practice. For Sindhu, it would be Pornpawee that she would have to tackle mainly. That match should be crucial, but other than that she should be okay. She is getting better and can do better at the world championships."