Highlights, Indonesia Open 2019 results: Akane Yamaguchi beats PV Sindhu to claim first Super 1000 title

Tough loss for Sindhu! 

Tough Luck Champ!👍

Despite sparks of brilliance, it wasn't #PVSindhu's day, The top 🇮🇳shuttler went down 21-15; 21-16 in the finals to @AKAne_GUcchi66. Well played, Akane. #IndiaontheRise#badminton pic.twitter.com/24nD6wsNpW

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) July 21, 2019

Akane wins gold in Jakarta

Akane Yamaguchi claims the biggest championship of her career. Both the games showed that the Japanese has a variety of attacking strokes in her arsenal. She’s known for her retrieving skills but her gameplan today stunned PV Sindhu, who looked puzzled after the mid-game break of the first game. She couldn’t match up to Yamaguchi’s energy on the court. 
 

That’s it! 

Akane Yamaguchi beats PV Sindhu 21-15, 21-16 in 50 minutes to bag her first Super 1000 event. Incredible attacking display by the Japanese shuttler!

Sindhu 15-19 Yamaguchi 

How quick was that? Yamaguchi takes a half jump and smashes one down the court to inch closer to her first Super 1000 title.

Sindhu 14-18 Yamaguchi 

After winning a good rally, Sindhu overdoes a simple crosscourt from the backcourt shot and gifts a crucial point to Yamaguchi. She’s got to be patient there.

Sindhu 13-16 Yamaguchi

Two consecutive points for Sindhu. She needs a few more to close the gap on the Japanese retriever’s lead. Rallies have taken a toll on Sindhu’s rhythm.

Can Sindhu power her way back into the game and force a decider?

Time is running out for Sindhu as the aggressive Yamaguchi continues to dominate the rallies

She leads 16-11 in the second game

LIVE: https://t.co/0c2APQfAjd#IndonesiaOpen#IndonesiaOpenSuper1000

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 21, 2019

Sindhu 10-15 Yamaguchi

Just when Sindhu picks up the pace, the pugnacious Yamaguchi comes back to snatch quick points. Incredible defensive play by the Japanese shuttler. Her backhand shots have been accurate in the second game.

Sindhu 10-13 Yamaguchi 

That’s better from Sindhu. A bit of aggression was needed in her gameplay. She holds her ground firmly to play consecutive flat strokes and trouble Yamaguchi’s rhythm.

Yamaguchi is cruising! 

Yamaguchi leads 11-8 at the break

The fourth-seeded Japanese has complete control of the shuttle, while Sindhu hasn't been able to make full use of her reach

LIVE: https://t.co/0c2APQfAjd#IndonesiaOpen#IndonesiaOpenSuper1000

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 21, 2019

Sindhu 7-10 Yamaguchi

The Indian looks drained out already. That’s what Yamaguchi does to you. In fact, that’s the case with all the Japanese players. Essentially good retrievers, they play long rallies and quick net shots to unsettle the opponent. Sindhu has to level up.

Sindhu 5-8 Yamaguchi

Can we take a moment to appreciate Yamaguchi’s follow-up shots? She’s tirelessly guarding the net and punching the shuttle towards the backcourt to trouble Sindhu’s movement.

Sindhu 1-4 Yamaguchi

This is carnage! Sindhu, for all her defensive efforts, is on the backfoot now. Yamaguchi has changed gears and has used the drift to her advantage.

Yamaguchi takes the first game: 21-15

Unbelievable comeback from Yamaguchi! 

She takes nine straight points and wraps up the opening game 21-15. Sindhu had no answers to the Japanese fast-paced game from the mid-court. She targeted Sindhu’s forehand corner and capitalised on the Indian’s backcourt position.

Sindhu 15-20 Yamaguchi

The Hyderabad-born shuttler saves a game-point. But it’s a little too late as Yamaguchi storms past her after the mid-game interval.

Sindhu 14-18 Yamaguchi

Well, what a turnaround! The pint-sized Japanese stands tall against the attacking stroke coming from the other half of the court.

WOW! Defensive badminton at its best 

14-14!

Sindhu and Yamaguchi have played so many tiring rallies after the break. They have used both their challenges in the first game. Neck-and-neck battle!

LIVE: https://t.co/0c2APQfAjd#IndonesiaOpen#IndonesiaOpenSuper1000

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 21, 2019

Sindhu 12-11 Yamaguchi 

Three straight points for the Japanese. Sindhu has given away two cheap points at the net. Notably, Yamaguchi is playing most of her shots from the mid-court.

BREAK! 

And it's Sindhu with an 11-8 lead at the mid-game interval of the first game

The lanky Indian has managed to deal with Yamaguchi's aggressive approach so far

LIVE: https://t.co/0c2APQfAjd#IndonesiaOpen#IndonesiaOpenSuper1000

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 21, 2019

Sindhu 10-8 Yamaguchi 

Yamaguchi tries a forehand crosscourt shot but yet again, the bird lands wide of the sideline. She has been aggressive but has ended up overplaying from the backcourt.

Sindhu 8-8 Yamaguchi

Yamaguchi loses her balance there and hits the net. Sindhu is back level. The first game has turned out to be a great contest of the shuttlers’ defensive prowess.

Sindhu 7-6 Yamaguchi

The Japanese tried to put Sindhu under pressure with an aggressive follow-up shot but the shuttle lands wide.

Sindhu is gearing up

Four straight points for Sindhu!

She has mixed her shots smartly after trailing 0-3. On the other hand, Yamaguchi has played long rallies already

Sindhu leads 5-3

LIVE: https://t.co/0c2APQfAjd#IndonesiaOpen#IndonesiaOpenSuper1000

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 21, 2019

Sindhu 2-3 Yamaguchi

A brilliant netplay allows Sindhu to hit a powerful down-the-line smash. Yamaguchi was caught napping at the net. 

Oh, make that 4-3 now. The Indian plays a smart forehand drive followed by an error by Yamaguchi.

Sindhu 0-2 Yamaguchi 

The Japanese takes full advantage of the sideway drift to take two quick points. Sindhu has retrieved swiftly throughout the tournament.

Path to the final:

The players walk out in the middle. After playing tiring three-game matches in her opening two games, Sindhu has enjoyed easy quarter-final (Nozomi Okuhara) and semi-final (Chen Yufei) clashes. For Yamaguchi, it has been a very impressive road to the final with a victory over defending champion Tai Tzu Ying.

This is Sindhu’s first final of the year. Will she make the most of it? 

Take a look at the overall head-to-head encounters between @Pvsindhu1 and @AKAne_GUcchi66

Will the Indian ace add to her tally?

LIVE: https://t.co/0c2APQfAjd#IndonesiaOpen#IndonesiaOpenSuper1000 pic.twitter.com/sKdvfvdlRN

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) July 21, 2019

Preview:

PV Sindhu enters the final with the psychological advantage of having beaten Yamaguchi five times in the six matches they have been involved in since the beginning of 2018, and including victories in their most recent four duels. But the Japanese girl should not be under-estimated for, in addition to indulging in lengthy, energy-sapping rallies, she is capable of playing bursts of fast and furious badminton – as she did on Saturday against a shell-shocked Tai.

Yuki Fukushima, Sayaka Hirota wins the doubles title!

Japan’s Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota beat compatriots Misaki Matsutomo, Ayaka Takahashi 21-16, 21-18 to win the Indonesia Open 2019.

Indians in Jakarta

Indonesia has a bit of charm for Indians as Saina Nehwal has won the title three times (from four finals) – India’s first Superseries title came in 2009. Moreover, Sindhu’s first major title in seniors – a Grade 4 event – had come at Surabaya in 2011. Will Jakarta prove to be lucky this time?

The women’s singles action is just a few minutes away 

It's #SuperSunday peeps!🌞

After destroying @nozomi_o11 and #ChenYufei, @Pvsindhu1 is all set to play the big final of the year against 🇯🇵’s @AKAne_GUcchi66 in the #BlibliIndonesiaOpen2019.
Let's get this home #Sindhu#IndiaontheRise #Badminton pic.twitter.com/mNCQ96tUy0

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) July 21, 2019

Hello and welcome to Firstpost’s live coverage of the Indonesia Open final. India’s PV Sindhu will be in action against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the women’s singles final. It’s their first World Tour 1000 event final for both the shuttlers. Stay tuned for all the live updates.