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BWF World Tour Finals Preview: Enduring a rough patch since claiming the world championship gold, ace Indian shuttler P V Sindhu would be eager to turnaround her fortunes when she begins her title defence at the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals here on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_4395135” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Akane Yamaguchi and PV Sindhu will face off at the BWF World Tour Finals. AP File photo[/caption] Sindhu registered her career’s biggest triumph at the World Championship in Basel, Switzerland in August, but since then the Indian looked awfully out of form. The Olympic silver medallist, who had reached the finals of Indonesia Open Super 750 tournament in July, made two first-round exits at Korea Open and Fuzhou China Open and went down in the second round in three events – China Open Super 1000, Denmark Open Super 750 and Hong Kong Open Super 500. Her only quarterfinal finish was at the USD 750,000 French Open. Only the top 8 on the BWF Race to Guangzhou Rankings qualifies for the World Tour Finals and Sindhu ended the year at the 15th spot but still made it to the women’s singles field by virtue of being the world champion. Sindhu will open her campaign against Akane Yamaguchi, who has claimed two titles at Indonesia and Japan before a hip problem saw her make four straight first round exits. However, the Japanese showed signs of regaining her form with semifinal finishes at French Open, Hong Kong Open and Korea Masters. The world no 6 Indian has a healthy 10-6 head-to-head record against Yamaguchi but she lost to the Japanese in the last two meetings. (With PTI inputs)
PV Sindhu vs Akane Yamaguchi, BWF World Tour Finals Highlights: Yamaguchi beats PV Sindhu 18-21, 21-18, 21-8
PV Sindhu lost momentum in the third game and Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi triumphed at the BWF World Tour FInals.
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Goodbye!
Join us tomorrow for our continued coverage of the BWF World Tour Finals. PV Sindhu takes on Chen Yufei tomorrow. It is the third match after a 6 PM local start (3.30 PM IST) so expect the players to be on court after 6 PM Indian time.
Women’s singles results from Day 1 at BWF World Tour Finals
Nozomi Okuhara beat Tai Tzu Ying 15-21, 21-18, 21-19
Ratchanok Intanon beat Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-4, 21-16
Chen Yufei beat He Bing Jiao 21-9, 21-18
Akane Yamaguchi beat PV Sindhu 18-21, 21-18, 21-8
Men’s singles results from Day 1 at BWF World Tour Finals
Chen Long beat Axelsen 21-17, 10-21, 21-17
Chou Tien Chen beat Anthony Sinisuka Ginting 11-21, 21-15, 25-23
Kento Momota beat Wang Tzu Wei 21-10, 21-9
Jonathan Christie beat Anders Antonsen 23-21, 21-16
Yamaguchi continues to dominate Sindhu
Yamaguchi with her third straight win over PV Sindhu and makes the head-to-head 10-7.
Akane Yamaguchi wins!
Akane Yamaguchi with a deft touch for a drop shot and PV Sindhu’s lunge forward to pick it up only hits the net. Akane Yamaguchi wins 18-21, 21-18, 21-8 in 66 minutes. Under 20 minutes for that final game
PV Sindhu 21-18, 18-21, 8-18 Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi going all attack in this third game. Going after the serve with some zest and Sindhu has nothing to offer in return
PV Sindhu 21-18, 18-21, 4-16 Yamaguchi
Just when it looks like Sindhu is drawing something, reducing deficit, Yamaguchi shuts the door on her with merciless hitting.
PV Sindhu 21-18, 18-21, 3-11 Yamaguchi
One way traffic at the mid-game interval in the third game. Yamaguchi in complete control and Sindhu has no answers to offer. A defiant jump smash from Yamaguchi to open up a fat eight point lead
PV Sindu 21-18, 18-21, 0-5 Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi with an incredible start to the third game. A cross court smash having turned defence into attack and the Japanese with a sizeable lead from the word go.
Akane Yagamuchi wins the second game!
Akane Yamaguchi with a cross court half smash and she takes the second game 21-18 in 29 minutes to win the second game and level the match.
PV Sindhu 21-18, 18-20 Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi wins 8th point out of the last 10 and she has two game points to level the match.
PV Sindhu 21-18, 15-16 Yamaguchi
PV Sindhu’s five point lead has been wiped out by Akane Yamaguchi. And she does so with a thundering smash. Now the Japanese leads 16-15 in the second game
PV Sindhu 21-18, 15-14 Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi with three straight points now. Sindhu with uncharacteristic errors and then Yamaguchi with heroic stuff to keep the point going despite Sindhu’s smash trickling over the net. 34 shot rally later, Sindhu with a desperate attempt at getting a smash back but it is into the gallery
PV Sindhu 21-18, 15-11 Yamaguchi
The Japanese player has upped the tempo and Sindhu is finding it tough to keep up with it. But Sindhu has come back to string two points in a row – a smash and then an error by Yamaguchi. She goes for the review but its well out
PV Sindhu 21-18, 11-6 Yamaguchi
PV Sindhu in the driving seat to lead by five points at the break in the second game. Yamaguchi sends the shuttle long and Sindhu judges it successfully. All Sindhu for now unless Yamaguchi pulls something out of the bag now.
PV Sindhu 21-18, 9-6 Yamaguchi
Each time Yamaguchi looks to be cutting close, Sindhu comes roaring back and making the most of her long frame and reach. Extends herself to pick a drop shot and rifles it into the back of the court with Yamaguchi stranded
PV Sindhu 21-18, 5-4 Yamaguchi
What an exhausting rally for both players. Yamaguchi with a desperate dive to pick up a Sindhu drop shot but it opens up the court and Sindhu makes use of the gap. Yamaguchi with a slight smile as she can only see the shuttle go past her. 43 shot rally!
PV Sindhu wins opening game 21-18
PV Sindhu takes the opening game 21-18 in 20 minutes. She read Yamaguchi’s smash very well and was in place to pick it up and sends it back with the Japanese caught in no man’s land.
PV Sindhu 20-18 Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi sends the shuttle long and it brings up game point for Sindhu. But the Indian errs with her drop shot next and the Japanese stays alive. Make that two game points saved. A flying Yamaguchi with a smash at the net to make it 20-18
PV Sindhu 18-15 Yamaguchi
PV Sindhu ends Akane Yamaguchi’s run of four straight points. And does so with some authority! Drop after drop from both players, expecting the other to blink before Sindhu’s attacking intent gets the better of Yamaguchi. A half smash cross court and she extends her gap
PV Sindhu 17-12 Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi claws with one point back. This time she dominates the point and has PV Sindhu moving before closing the point out with a smash
PV Sindhu 15-11 Yamaguchi
Sindhu building the lead here and has a four point cushion in the opening game. Yamaguchi tried to go across for a smash but the angle was far too much
PV Sindhu 11-8 Yamaguchi
PV Sindhu with a three point lead at the break in the first game. And what a point that was! Sindhu with gorgeous drop shots, one after another, side to side, Yamaguchi picking up each one and keeping the Indian going to try and close it out somehow. Eventually she does with a smash. Crowd erupts after an incredible point!
PV Sindhu 7-7 Yamaguchi
Yamaguchi levels the match with a delightful reverse smash while backpeddling. Sindhu nowhere near to the shuttle and failed to read it properly.
PV Sindhu 7-5 Yamaguchi
PV Sindhu getting into better touch now. She’s finding the delicate drop shots and then closing the points out with her imposing smashes.
PV Sindhu 2-4 Yamaguchi
PV Sindhu with an error on the deep return. Contrast in styles between the two players – Sindhu the more attacking player while Yamaguchi continues to get the shuttle back repeatedly.
READY, PLAY!
Akane Yamaguchi to get the match underway. PV Sindhu had won the toss and chosen the far side.
Players on court
PV Sindhu vs Akane Yamaguchi delayed slightly. Before players take court, Sindhu has been asked to change clothes. She has now changed from a yellow dress to a black and white.
PV Sindhu in 2019
Final in Indonesia before the big title at the Worlds in Basel, Switzerland. She has had poor string of results ever since and would be hopeful of changing that this week.
Yamaguchi in 2019
Titles in Indonesia and Japan before hip injury affected her performance. Semis at French Open, Hong Kong Open and Korea Masters.
PV Sindhu vs Akane Yamaguchi
Head-to-head: 10-6 in favour of the Indian but Sindhu lost the last two matches against the Japanese. They met last year also in this tournament where Sindhu won.
PREVIEW
Preview to PV Sindhu and the BWF World Tour Finals just months after her maiden World Championships title.
Chen Yufei wins!
Chen Yufei wins it! She beats He Bing Jiao 21-9, 21-18 in 35 minutes. Three straight points for Yufei to close the match out. She reduces the head-to-head deficit over fellow Chinese to 2-4.
Key results so far:
Chen Long beat Viktor Axelsen 21-17, 10-21, 21-17
Nozomi Okuhara beat Tai Tzu Ying 15-21, 21-18, 21-19
Kento Momota beat Wang Tzu Wei 21-10, 21-9
Ratchanok Intanon beat Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-14, 21-16