Semi-final result: Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal advanced to the women's singles final of the Indonesia Masters 2019 after a hard-fought win over China's He Bingjiao on Saturday.
Eighth-seeded Nehwal defeated her opponent 18-21, 21-12, 21-18 in a 58-minute affair. The Indian lost the first game but came from behind in the next two games.
Nehwal, who had reached the finals in the last edition, will now take on Spain's three-time World Champion and reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin, who defeated China's Chen Yufei 17-21, 21-11, 23-21 in the second semi-final.
Nehwal had won gold at the Commonwealth Games last year, a bronze at the Asian Games and had reached the summit clash of Denmark open, Syed Modi International and Indonesia Masters in 2018.
With inputs from Agencies
Updated Date: Jan 27, 2019 15:47:34 IST
Highlights
Saina Nehwal wins second Indonesia Masters title!
It didn't really turn out to an entertaining clash as we all would have wanted but Nehwal takes the title. Marin landed awkwardly on her right knee while playing an over-the-head shot from the backcourt.
LIVE NEWS and UPDATES
15:47 (IST)
That brings us to the end of our live coverage of the final between Saina Nehwal and Carolina Marin. The Indian won her second Indonesia Masters title in Jakarta. Not the way she would've wanted to win it, of course. As for Marin, all we can do is hope for the best. She will make a comeback soon.
Thank you for sticking around. See you all soon!
15:26 (IST)
That must've hurt. Unfortunate, really. We hope it's not as bad as it looks...
15:16 (IST)
Saina Nehwal wins second Indonesia Masters title!
It didn't really turn out to an entertaining clash as we all would have wanted but Nehwal takes the title. Marin landed awkwardly on her right knee while playing an over-the-head shot from the backcourt.
15:11 (IST)
Nehwal 4-10 Marin
Oh dear! The Spaniard is in tears. She leaves the court to talk to coach Fernando Rivas. It looks like she cannot continue.
Saina Nehwal wins the title.
15:09 (IST)
Nehwal 3-9 Marin
We can only hope that the injury is not as bad as it looks. Marin gets up collects another point. She is now leading 10-3
15:00 (IST)
Nehwal 2-7 Marin
Oh, there's yet another scream from Marin. She has opened up a five-point lead over the Indian ace, who seems to be on the backfoot.
14:59 (IST)
Marin is running away with the lead
14:56 (IST)
Nehwal 0-3 Marin
Both players are trying to find the backcourt with push-clears. Nehwal hits the shuttle wide. Three straight points should boost Marin's confidence.
14:53 (IST)
Nehwal vs Marin
Indian shuttle queen Saina Nehwal qualified to cross swords again with reigning world and Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain after the two players beat higher ranked Chinese opponents at the Istora Senayan on Saturday. Saina, seeded eighth, staged a magnificent rearguard action in narrowly outpointing He Bingjiao, seeded sixth, by an 18-21, 21-12, 21-18 scoreline, while the fifth-ranked Spaniard pipped third-seeded Chen Yufei at the tape by a 17-21, 21-11, 23-21 verdict, after the 20-year-old Chinese had saved six match-points.
14:51 (IST)
Crazy numbers!
14:51 (IST)
Nehwal vs Marin
Both players have entered the court now. Nehwal had won the title in Jakarta in the 2009 edition.
Marin holds the advantage in the head-to-head meetings: 6-5. The Spaniard recently defeated the former World No 1 in the semi-finals of Malaysia Masters last week.
14:48 (IST)
Saina Nehwal vs Carolina Marin
The fast-moving Spanish southpaw will be odds-on favorite to win the title on the morrow, for she leads Saina in their career head-to-head record by a 6-5 margin, with victories in their two most recent meetings. Marin had dished out a 21-6, 21-11 pummelling to the Indian at the semi-final stage of the 2018 World Championships in Nanjing, in August 2018, and also beaten Saina by a 21-16, 21-13 scoreline at the Malaysia Masters last week.
14:35 (IST)
Hello and welcome to Firstpost's live coverage of the Indonesia Masters 2019.
India's Saina Nehwal continues her thrilling run at World Tour events after reaching the final on Saturday. She faces reigning world champion Carolina Marin of Spain in the final today.
Stay tuned for all the live updates.