India’s Saina Nehwal and Kidmabi Srikanth stormed into the semifinals of the Denmark Open with hard-fought victories over Nozomi Okuhara and Sameer Verma respectively. Saina, ranked 10th, recovered after the losing the first game to beat familiar foe and world number seven Okuhara of Japan 17-21, 21-16, 21-12 in the quarterfinal lasting 58 minutes on Friday night. The final point of the match was a long rally which ended with the Japanese finding the net. It was a morale-boosting for the Indian star, having lost her previous three meetings to Okuhara including the most recent one in Korea last month. Saina had also lost to the 2017 World Champion during the team event at the Asian Games in August. Overall, their head-to-head record stands at 7-4 in the Indian’s favour. Saina next faces world number 19 Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia. Fellow Indian Srikanth too had to dig deep against countryman Verma with little separating the two in an intense men’s singles quarter-final. In the end, world number six Srikanth prevailed over the 23-ranked Indian in an epic battle lasting an hour and 18 minutes with the final scoreline reading 22-20, 19-21, 23-21. The two Indians had not played each prior the quarterfinal and their first meeting turned out to be a slugfest. Verma was leading for the major part of the third and deciding game where he even had a 17-13 lead before Srikanth scripted a remarkable fightback to scrape through. Srikanth plays second seed and world number one Kento Momota of Japan in the semi-final to be held later on Saturday. The formidable Japanese enjoys an 8-3 career record over Srikanth and has not lost to the Indian in their last five meetings.
Highlights, Denmark Open 2018 results: Saina Nehwal beats Gregoria Tunjung to enter final; Kidambi Srikanth ousted
Catch the live scores and updates of the semi-final matches at the Denmark Open 2018 as India’s Kidambi Srikanth and Saina Nehwal eye a place in the final.
 "Highlights, Denmark Open 2018 results: Saina Nehwal beats Gregoria Tunjung to enter final; Kidambi Srikanth ousted")
DANISA DENMARK OPEN 2018 | Badminton WS - SF - Highlights #badminton #HSBCBWFbadminton pic.twitter.com/GfWoOB3nOd
— BWF (@bwfmedia) October 20, 2018
Saina Nehwal through to final!
The former champion took just 30 minutes to brush Gregoria Tunjung aside. A 21-11, 21-12 win speaks a lot about Saina’s overall performance in the semi-final. Her shot selection, movements and strokes from the net allowed her to play her natural game.
She faces World No 1 Tai Tzu Ying in the final tomorrow.
11-8! Saina has a three-point advantage over 19-year-old Tunjung at the mid-game interval
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) October 20, 2018
LIVE: https://t.co/g0QcIplUqc#DenmarkOpenSuper750
Saina wins first game: 21-11
The former champion gets the better of Gregoria Tunjung with a variety of strokes and full use of her range. She had an attacking approach right from the start of the game and barely allowed her opponent to find an opening.
19-8! One-way traffic in the first game. Saina extends her lead
That was a good challenge by the Indian shuttler as the linesman judged it wrongly. The shuttle had landed just inside the backline.
At the mid-game interval, it's Saina who leads 11-5 against Gregoria Tunjung of Indonesia
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) October 20, 2018
The Indian shuttler has hit quite a few half smashes to unsettle her opponent
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Nehwal vs Gregoria
This is the very first meeting between the two. Saina Nehwal has been on a roll after beating Akane Yamaguchi and Nozomi Okuhara en route to the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Gregoria Tunjung, the junior world champion has defeated fellow unseeded to reach the last four.
Tai Tzu Ying in final
The World No 1 outclasses He Bingjiao 21-14, 21-12 in just 30 minutes. The Chinese shuttler couldn’t read the deception and was stretched near her tramlines.
ICYMI: Here’s how Kento Momota thwarted the defending champion Kidambi Srikanth in straight games.
DANISA DENMARK OPEN 2018 | Badminton MS - SF - Highlights #badminton #HSBCBWFbadminton pic.twitter.com/T9DjwKegyc
— BWF (@bwfmedia) October 20, 2018
Kento Momota enters final
That was utter domination from the Japanese ace to outmuscle the attacking Srikanth in straight games 21-16, 21-12. The Indian shuttler could have been a tough nut to crack had he avoided those silly errors at the net. Despite Srikanth’s burst of attacking strokes, Momota didn’t feel the pressure and continued slaying his opponent.
Sri-can’t or Sri can?
11-7! A four-point advantage for Momota at the mid-game break of the second game
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) October 20, 2018
Srikanth is simply making too many mistakes from the backcourt. Can he turn this match around?
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Momota draws first blood
The World No 1 takes the opening game 21-16. He’s is just too good. From deception to court coverage, he’s been exceptionally brilliant. Srikanth made a lot of errors at the net.
11-10! Momota with a slender lead over Srikanth at the mid-game interval of the opening game
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) October 20, 2018
Both shuttlers have attacked from the net so far
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5-5!
A 28-shot rally turns in the favour of the Indian shuttler. There is no doubt about Srikanth’s accurate net game. It can cause a lot of problems for the left-handed Momota.
Time for the men’s singles clash!
Both Srikanth and Momota have entered the court. Can the Indian shuttler stop the World No 1?
Kevin Sanjaya and Marcus Gideon defeated Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan 21-18, 24-22 to enter the semi-finals.
This is how we know Kevin Sukamuljo: magic backhand shot #badminton #HSBCBWFbadminton pic.twitter.com/QYxslnluCY
— BWF (@bwfmedia) October 20, 2018
Srikanth vs Momota:
Srikanth trails Momota 3-8 in 11 career meetings, and has lost their last five clashes, the most recent one being a heavy 9-21, 11-21 thrashing at the China Open last month. The Indian would need to be far quicker on his feet than he was in China, and perform even better than he did when he lost a close three-gamer at the Indonesia Open in July this year.
Hello and welcome to Firstpost’s live coverage of the Denmark Open 2018.
India’s two former World No 1 shuttlers Kidambi Srikanth and Saina Nehwal will be in action today as they eye a place in the final of the World Tour event. Srikanth faces World No 1 Kento Momota, while Saina squares up against junior world champion Gregoria Tunjung of Indonesia.
There are a host of other interesting matches too. Stay tuned!
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