PBL 2017: PV Sindhu finally beats Saina Nehwal as Chennai Smashers trump Awadhe Warriors to reach final

Rio Olympics silver medallist PV Sindhu produced a disciplined performance to outwit Saina Nehwal in straight games in a much-anticipated encounter as Chennai Smashers entered the finals of the Premier Badminton League season 2 with a 4-1 win over Awadhe Warriors on Friday. China Open champion Sindhu, who has never defeated London Olympics bronze winner Saina in a tournament, finally exorcised the ghosts of her losses with a 11-7, 11-8 victory over her senior colleague in a crucial women’s singles clash which was Chennai’s trump match. [caption id=“attachment_3200530” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  PV Sindhu in action against Awadhe Warriors in PBL 2017. Image courtesy: Twitter/@PBLIndiaLive[/caption] The Warriors then needed to win their men’s doubles trump match but V Shem Goh and Markis Kido failed to produce the desired result and went down 3-11, 10-12 to Chennai’s Chris Adcock and Mads Pieler Kolding in the final rubber. Earlier, Awadhe Warriors grabbed an early lead against Chennai Smashers with world number 10 Thai pair of Savitree Amitrapal and Bodin Isara defeating Chris Adcock and Gabrielle Adcock, the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist pair, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5 in the opening match. However, Parupalli Kashyap brought Chennai back into the contest as he produced a measured game with controlled aggression to outwit W Ki Vincent Wong 11-4, 11-6 to make it 1-1. The second men’s singles pitted Rio Olympics quarterfinalist Kidambi Srikanth against 2014 World Championship bronze medallist Tommy Sugiarto and the Indian dished out a gritty performance to stave off the challenge from the Indonesian with a 14-12, 11-7 win to put Awadhe Warriors 2-1 ahead after the third match. Expectations then touched a crescendo as Sindhu and Saina took the court with the crowd rooting for the two stalwarts in equal measure. The match started on a pulsating note as Sindhu tried to push Saina at the back of the court and then catch her at the net. Her ploy worked initially as she led 4-2. But, Sindhu committed a series of errors as her miscued drops found the net and also went out as Saina kept breathing down the neck at 5-5. Saina moved into the break with a slender 6-5 lead after Sindhu hit long. After the breather, Saina moved into a 7-6 lead before she smashed at the nets to allow Sindhu to level the score. Another error in a net dribble and the tables had turned as Sindhu led 8-7. Saina pushed another one out and then Sindhu caught her opponent at the forecourt to move to game point. Sindhu finally grabbed the opening game after Saina hit wide. The second game started with the same intensity as Sindhu made her intent clear with a power-packed smash to earn the first point. She hit out next before a forehand return found Saina struggling. The 26-year old then produced a body smash to make it 2-3 but she once again found the net and Sindhu too produced a superb smash which left Saina stranded. Sindhu then sent one at the forecourt but she misjudged the shuttle at the baseline but she still led 5-3. Sindhu went into the break with a 6-3 lead after earning a point with her cross court slice. After the break, Sindhu made another judgmental error at the baseline and then her smash got buried at the net as Saina narrowed the lead to 5-6. What ensued next was a marathon rally consisting of 48 shots. It was Saina who was trying to engage Sindhu in the rally by using tosses at the back court. Eventually, Sindhu managed to win the point with a cross court net return. Sindhu moved to 9-5 with a deceptive net play after Saina had committed another error. Saina once again narrowed the lead to 8-9 but Sindhu soon produced a cross court smash before a superb drop from the back of the court that sealed the issue for her. “It was a tough match. I could not play my game. I was not moving well. I tried everything but she (Sindhu) played well today,” Saina said after the match. Sindhu said, “I knew it would be an exciting match and it went on well for me. There were rallies but I played a good game. The competition has been tough with Carolina Marin and Sung Ji Hyun also playing well.”