Highlights, Japan Open Superseries, results: Saina Nehwal knocked out by Carolina Marin; Okuhara downs Sindhu

Here is tomorrow’s schedule. A host of mouth-watering clashes! 

Other results: 

Lee Chong Wei beats Tommy Sugiarto 22-20 21-17 to enter the quarter-finals and set up a clash with Chou Tein Chen of Chinese Taipei

20-year-old He Bingjiao eases past Michelle Li of Canada 21-13, 21-12 to seal a place in the quarter-finals of the women’s singles.

Korea Open champions Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen defeated Hendra Setiawan and Boon Heong Tan 21-8, 21-13 in just 30 mins.

India's #JapanSS campaign surges ahead as these shuttlers keep the hopes alive. On to the quarters! pic.twitter.com/NfaRRHbr2h

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) September 21, 2017

Carolina Marin beats Saina Nehwal: 21-16, 21-13
 

Fifth seed Marin cruises past the former World No 1 after a clinical display in the second round of the women’s singles. A balanced game from the Spaniard allowed her to play a variety of strokes from the net. Saina looked sharp but couldn’t hit clean returns.

19-12! It has been one-way traffic after the mid-game interval. Marin inches closer to a straight-game win over old foe Saina.

17-10! Marin wins consecutive points to run away with the lead and put one foot in the quarter-finals. Utter domination after the break.

Saina needs to kill the rally quickly and look for drop shots if possible to stretch Marin. 

11-7! A healthy four-point lead for Marin at the mid-game interval of the 2nd game

Saina needs to attack!https://t.co/GRVm3yRJ0a #JapanSS

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) September 21, 2017

8-6! And Saina fails to maintain her lead. Marin comes from behind yet again to take the lead in the second stanza.

6-5! Saina opens a narrow one-point lead over Marin in the second round. The attacking strokes have been accurate until now.

4-4! The second game starts in the same way as the first. Both shuttlers have mixed their shots quite early in the game. This is going to be a tight encounter.

Carolina Marin takes opening game: 21-16

The Spaniard claws back from 14-15 to script a superb turnaround and win the first game against Saina Nehwal. Marin took control of her shots to close the gap on Saina’s lead

20-15! Marin wins five straight points to shift the momentum in her favour. Saina was caught napping near the net and gave away points easily.

15-15! Marin claws back to level the scores in the first game of this second round tie. The Spaniard’s quick foot movements have helped her earn two quick points.

14-11! Saina wins two points on the trot to extend her lead. Marin, on the other hand, has been more defensive after the break.

11-9! 

Saina opens a two-point lead over Marin at the mid-game interval of the opening game. She has hit a few crosscourt drop shots to unsettle the Spaniard.

Make that 9-9! 

7-7! It's neck-and-neck in the opening game between @NSaina & @CarolinaMarin

Who will claim the 1st game?https://t.co/GRVm3yRJ0a #JapanSS

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) September 21, 2017

4-4! 

A close contest already. Saina and Marin have started strongly with both players looking sharp at the net.

Saina Nehwal is in action against Carolina Marin of Spain in the second round of the women’s singles. Saina, who is unseeded, has had a good record against the Spaniard and is coming back of a hamstring injury.

7th seed Lin Dan beats South Korea’s Lee Dong Keun to enter the quarter-finals. The Chinese legend won the match 21-12, 21-17 in 48 minutes. 

Sikki Reddy and Pranaav Chopra reach their maiden Superseries quarter-finals! 

Well done, @pranaav6 & @sikkireddy. The mixed doubles pair enter the quarters of #JapanSS after beating Y Kaneko/ K Yonemoto 21-13, 21-17 🙌

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) September 21, 2017

Key to Okuhara’s win

​Okuhara capitalised on Sindhu’s errors at the net and was in complete control of her shots. Sindhu, on the other hand, misjudged the drop on multiple occasions and lost her footing in the second game. The Japanese managed to maintain her lead over Sindhu and in no time, she sealed her place in the quarter-finals.

Nozomi Okuhara beats PV Sindhu: 21-18, 21-8

A comfortable win for the world champion as Sindhu couldn’t match up to Okuhara’s pace in both the games. Notably, Okuhara did not allow Sindhu to play net shots and often was banking on her defence whenever Sindhu tried to attack. 

With this win, Okuhara makes it 5-4 in the overall encounters between the two. 

17-7! There is no way Sindhu can make a comeback into the match. Well, Okuhara has bagged enough points in her kitty to have an upper hand over the Korea Open champion.

16-5! 

Okuhara has taken a massive lead and looks set to clinch the second game and enter the quarter-finals. Sindhu is struggling to find her feet at the net.

Okuhara has a healthy 7-point lead at the mid-game interval of the second game. Sindhu struggling to defendhttps://t.co/GRVm3yRJ0a #JapanSS

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) September 21, 2017

9-4! Okuhara is running away with the lead as we approach the mid-game interval of the second game. A well-deserved lead for the world champion, who hasn’t allowed Sindhu to attack from the front.

7-2! A healthy five-point lead puts Sindhu under massive pressure. Okuhara is frustrating the Indian by hitting clean returns and a few wrist shots at the net.

4-1! Okuhara opens a three-point lead against Sindhu in the second game. The Indian looks a bit out of touch after squandering her lead in the opening game.

Nozomi Okuhara takes opening game: 21-18

The unseeded Japanese takes a 1-0 lead against Sindhu with a first-game win in 29 minutes. Okuhara wins five straight points to unsettle Sindhu and snatch the game in no time. Yet again, it was her wall-like defence that made the difference

19-18! The see-saw battle continues as Okuhara pips Sindhu to take a slender one-point lead as we approach the end of the first game.

18-16! Sindhu takes a restores her two-point lead over Okuhara with an exquisite drop shot. The first game is intense!

15-15! Neck-and-neck yet again.

Sindhu wins 3 points on the trot to draw level in the first game

LIVE: https://t.co/GRVm3yRJ0a #JapanSS

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) September 21, 2017

12-15! Finally, Sindhu gets a point. She should close the gap on Okuhara’s lead before she runs away with it. The Japanese shuttler’s defence is yet again causing a lot of trouble for Sindhu.

Okuhara has changed gears post the break. Leading 14-11 against Sindhu. #JapanSS

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) September 21, 2017

14-11! Okuhara wins three straight points to unsettle the Indian shuttler in the opening game. What a turn around!

11-11! 

The scores are always level whenever these two play each other! Okuhara is retrieving well from the net.

11-9!

Sindhu has a 2-point advantage at the mid-game interval of the opening game against Okuhara

LIVE: https://t.co/GRVm3yRJ0a #JapanSS

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) September 21, 2017

8-8! This was coming…..

Okuhara draws level in no time as we approach the break of the first game.

7-5! This contest is starting to build up. Both Sindhu and Okuhara are being stretched at the backcourt. Sindhu has a two-point advantage.

6-2! Sindhu wins four straight points to further strengthen her lead. Okuhara, who is surprisingly unseeded, has a habit of starting slow but it would be difficult for her to claw back if Sindhu takes a huge lead.

On Court 2, Pranaav Chopra and Sikki Reddy are up against Japan's Yuki Kaneko and Koharu Yonemoto. #JapanSS

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) September 21, 2017

4-2! Sindhu starts confidently and takes a 2-point lead over Okuhara in the early stages of the opening game.

PV Sindhu and Nozomi Okuhara have entered the court for their pre-quarter-final clash at the Japan Open Superseries. The scores are tied at 4-4 in their overall meetings. The Indian ace defeated Okuhara in three games to become the Korea Open champion after narrowly missing out of World Championships gold against the same opponent two weeks ago. 

The duo has produced extraordinary badminton, which makes this contest even more interesting. 

Viktor Axelsen enters quarters

Reigning world champion Axelsen beats Kenta Nishimoto 21-17, 21-18 in 44 minutes to set up a quarter-final clash with Kidambi Srikanth tomorrow. Attack vs Attack awaits!

World Champion Viktor Axlesen wins opening game 21-17 against Kenta Nishimoto of Japan. Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, Akane Yamaguchi and Kim Hyo Min have one game each and will play a decider.

Terrific victory from @srikidambi.

Storms into the quarters of #JapanSS after defeating Hu Yun 21-12, 21-11 in only 29 minutes! 👌

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) September 21, 2017

Kidambi beats Hu Yun: 21-12, 21-11

It just took 29 minutes for eighth seed Kidambi Srikanth to seal a place in the quarters of men’s singles. He defeated Hong Kong’s Hu in straight games and looks in sublime touch. Excellent attacking gameplay!

On Court 4, Kidambi Srikanth draws first blood against Hu Yun in his pre-quarterfinal. Wraps up the 1st game 21-12 in 13 minutes! #JapanSS

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) September 21, 2017

Kidambi Srikanth wins opening game: 21-12

The World No 8 registers an easy first-game win over Hong Kong’s Hu Yun to take a 1-0 lead in this men’s singles tie. Srikanth looks very comfortable at the net.

Kidambi Srikanth is in action against Hu Yun of Hong Kong in the pre-quarters of the men’s singles.

Sameer Verma bows out of #JapanSS after losing 21-10, 17-21, 15-21 to Shi Yuqi. Great effort!

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) September 21, 2017

Shi Yuqi enters quarter-finals

The Chinese shuttler seals his spot in the quarters of men’s singles with a 10-21, 21-17, 15-21 win over India’s Sameer Verma. The Indian started brilliantly but was taken by surprise in the second and third games.

Shi Yuqi forces the match into the deciding game with a 21-17 win over Sameer Verma in the second round. 

It’s 7-7 in the decider. Who will enter the quarters?

Sameer Verma takes a 1-0 lead in the pre-quarters tie against China Shi Yuqi. He wins the opening game 21-10 in no time. Are we in for an upset?

HS Prannoy, the first Indian men’s singles shuttler to play today, defeated Hsu Jen Hao 21-16 23-21 to enter the quarter-finals of the Japan Open Superseries.

Hello and welcome to Firstpost’s live blog of Japan Open Super Series being played in Tokyo.

After defeating Minatsu Mitani on Wednesday, India’s top shuttler PV Sindhu once again faces the challenge of Nozomi Okuhara on Thursday.

Saina Nehwal too will be in action on Thursday, against Spain’s Carolina Marin.

Stay tuned for live scores and updates from Japan Open Super Series.