Guangzhou: PV Sindhu comes into the second match of the BWF World Tour Finals 2019 on the back of an extension of her poor run of form having lost to Japan's Akane Yamaguchi on Wednesday.
Sindhu squandered an 11-6 lead in the second game to go down 18-21 21-18 21-8 in 68 minutes to former world number one Akane Yamaguchi, who scripted a sensational comeback after losing the first game to claim her third successive win over the Indian.
With one loss for the defending champion, Sindhu now faces Chen Yufei and needs to win to keep her quest to stay alive in the season-ending tournament.
The Indian enjoys a 6-3 record but the Chinese has been in rampaging form this season, having won all six of her finals, including the All England Championships.
Chen Yufei made a winning start to her campaign at the World Tour Finals by beating He Bing Jiao 21-9, 21-18.
(With PTI inputs)
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Updated Date: Dec 12, 2019 19:43:14 IST
Highlights
PV Sindhu all but out
Like yesterday, PV Sindhu squanders a game advantage to lose. She now has two losses from two matches played and is all but out of contention for the knockouts
Chen Yufei wins
PV Sindhu with a little nudge from a drop shot and tries to find the back of the line but it goes long. Chen Yufei sees it go long and wins it 20-22, 21-16, 21-12.
PV Sindhu 22-20, 16-21, 11-10 Chen Yufei
Little to separate PV Sindhu and Chen Yufei in the third game. Yufei trying to go deep from a drop shot but the attempt is too close to the net and fails to go over. One point game in the decider
Chen Yufei wins the second game
Chen Yufei brings up six game points and converts the third opportunity. She wins the second game 21-16 in 24 minutes. A lovely disguised drop shot and PV Sindhu doesn't pick it up. Into the third we go!
PV Sindhu 22-20, 7-11 Chen Yufei
Chen Yufei with some gap now over the Indian in the second game. Sindhu caight stranded on one point and then misses her little nudge. Four point lead for Chen Yufei and it could be all importanrt in the end
PV Sindhu wins the opening game
What an incredible turnaround from PV Sindhu! She wins five straight points to go from 17-20 to 22-20 and take the opening game in 24 minutes. This time PV Sindhu sends the shuttle deep with Chen Yufei forward. And it lands in with the review confirming it.
PV Sindhu 20-20 Chen Yufei
PV Sindhu saves three game points with Chen Yufei going for too much on the angles. One to Sindhu's left and next to her right - both landing into the tramlines. But the third is impeccable retrieving. Sindhu dives forward after the shuttle goes over after hitting the net. With an open court, Chen Yufei hits it into the net!!
PV Sindhu 8-11 Chen Yufei
PV Sindhu with a lunge forward and a little push to try and force Chen Yufei back. But the angle is too much on it and the shuttle lands wide. Yufei with the right judgement
Players on court
PV Sindhu, World No 6, is up against World No. 2 Chen Yufei. Sindhu in the black once again today and Yufei in the blue and white.
Head-to-head
PV Sindhu holds a 6-3 advantage over Chen Yufei and the two meetings this year have both been won by the Indian shuttler. She won in Indonesia and the World Championships
Singles results today at the BWF World Tour Finals
Anthony Ginting beat Chen Long 21-12, 21-11
Chou Tien Chen beat Viktor Axelsen 12-21, 21-12, 21-15
Nozomi Okuhara beat Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-12, 21-10
Tai Tzu Ying beat Ratchanok Intanon 11-21, 21-18, 21-16
Hello and welcome to Firstpost's live coverage of the BWF World Tour Finals from Guangzhou, China. We would keep our focus on the solitary Indian in the draw - PV Sindhu - who didn't have the greatest start to her title defence on Wednesday.
LIVE NEWS and UPDATES
19:42 (IST)
With that, a good bye from Firstpost.com in our coverage of the BWF World Tour Finals 2019. We will be back tomorrow for PV Sindhu's match against He Bing Jiao but that may well be a dead rubber as far as Sindhu's chances of progressing are concerned. She, however, would hope to end the season with a win.
19:34 (IST)
PV Sindhu all but out
Like yesterday, PV Sindhu squanders a game advantage to lose. She now has two losses from two matches played and is all but out of contention for the knockouts
19:31 (IST)
Chen Yufei wins
PV Sindhu with a little nudge from a drop shot and tries to find the back of the line but it goes long. Chen Yufei sees it go long and wins it 20-22, 21-16, 21-12.
19:30 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 16-21, 12-20 Chen Yufei
What a turnaround for Chen Yufei. Her serve lands in and PV Sindhu misjudges it completely. Brings up plenty of match points
19:29 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 16-21, 12-18 Chen Yufei
Eight of nine points for Chen Yufei since the break. PV Sindhu missing a smash while going for it all and then is unable to pick up a drop shot. Just going horribly wrong for her.
19:27 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 16-21, 11-16 Chen Yufei
Oh wow! PV Sindhu has thrown the gap and momentum all away. Multiple unforced errors and Chen Yufei has now taken six straight points.
19:23 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 16-21, 11-10 Chen Yufei
Little to separate PV Sindhu and Chen Yufei in the third game. Yufei trying to go deep from a drop shot but the attempt is too close to the net and fails to go over. One point game in the decider
19:21 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 16-21, 8-10 Chen Yufei
Slight lead for Chen Yufei once again. PV Sindhu tries to go deep with her shot but it is narrowly wide. Well judged by Chen Yufei who lets it go with the Indian opting not to review.
19:16 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 16-21, 4-6 Chen Yufei
WOW! Chen Yufei with a superb backhand reverse smash. PV Sindhu had done really well to put the pressure on the Chinese and had her pegged back but she pulls a special piece of shot-making from out of the bag.
19:08 (IST)
Chen Yufei wins the second game
Chen Yufei brings up six game points and converts the third opportunity. She wins the second game 21-16 in 24 minutes. A lovely disguised drop shot and PV Sindhu doesn't pick it up. Into the third we go!
19:05 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 12-19 Chen Yufei
PV Sindhu cut the run of four straight points for Chen Yufei but the Chinese didn't waste much time in getting the serve back. And she has now opened up a mammoth seven point advantage
19:03 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 11-15 Chen Yufei
And Chen Yufei is back into a four point lead. Thundering smash into PV Sindhu's body and it is one handicap that she finds hard to work her way around.
19:01 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 11-12 Chen Yufei
PV Sindhu has cut the gap to just one and done so in gorgeous fashion. She spots Chen Yufei back-peddling after picking up a drop shot and sends another drop shot which the Chinese can do nothing about.
18:57 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 7-11 Chen Yufei
Chen Yufei with some gap now over the Indian in the second game. Sindhu caight stranded on one point and then misses her little nudge. Four point lead for Chen Yufei and it could be all importanrt in the end
18:54 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 7-7 Chen Yufei
Chen Yufei with a well placed angled jump shot and PV Sindhu fails to read it. She can only look on as the shuttle lands in front of her. Nothing to choose from either player thus far
18:51 (IST)
PV Sindhu 22-20, 5-5 Chen Yufei
A pretty even start to things in the second game. Both players giving little away and getting one point before the other snatches the momentum.
18:44 (IST)
PV Sindhu wins the opening game
What an incredible turnaround from PV Sindhu! She wins five straight points to go from 17-20 to 22-20 and take the opening game in 24 minutes. This time PV Sindhu sends the shuttle deep with Chen Yufei forward. And it lands in with the review confirming it.
18:42 (IST)
PV Sindhu 21-20 Chen Yufei
Four points in a row for PV Sindhu now coming from 17-20 to 21-20. Chen Yufei with an angled drop shot is wide once again.
18:41 (IST)
PV Sindhu 20-20 Chen Yufei
PV Sindhu saves three game points with Chen Yufei going for too much on the angles. One to Sindhu's left and next to her right - both landing into the tramlines. But the third is impeccable retrieving. Sindhu dives forward after the shuttle goes over after hitting the net. With an open court, Chen Yufei hits it into the net!!
18:39 (IST)
PV Sindhu 17-20 Chen Yufei
A cross smash from Chen Yufei ends PV Sindhu's run of two back-to-back points. And now Sindhu errs with her shot - sending it into the net - to bring up game point for the Chinese shuttler
18:37 (IST)
PV Sindhu 14-18 Chen Yufei
Chen Yufei with a gorgeous flat backhand shot from behind her. The drift carries the shuttle flat and straight on and PV Sindhu lets it go assuming it will go long.
18:34 (IST)
PV Sindhu 12-16 Chen Yufei
Chen Yufei extending her lead and looking very good at the moment. Every time PV Sindhu gets a point, Chen Yufei ends the run too. This time she does with a gorgeous angled shot which lands on the line. PV Sindhu challenges but it has just taken the line on its way
18:28 (IST)
PV Sindhu 8-11 Chen Yufei
PV Sindhu with a lunge forward and a little push to try and force Chen Yufei back. But the angle is too much on it and the shuttle lands wide. Yufei with the right judgement
18:28 (IST)
PV Sindhu 8-10 Chen Yufei
PV Sindhu reduces the deficit and brings it to one point before erring with a simple forehand. Tries to bring her wrist into play with an angled shot but doesn't get the power to get it over the net
18:24 (IST)
PV Sindhu 4-8 Chen Yufei
Chen Yufei doing really well in mixing things up and keeping PV Sindhu busy. A smash to Sindhu's left to create a meek reply and powers on to the right side of the court to close the point out
18:20 (IST)
PV Sindhu 1-3 Chen Yufei
Chen Yufei with the better start of the two players. She's imposing with her shots and getting the smashes on the money. Sindhu breaks a string and sends the shuttle into the net while going for broke.
18:17 (IST)
Players on court
PV Sindhu, World No 6, is up against World No. 2 Chen Yufei. Sindhu in the black once again today and Yufei in the blue and white.
18:14 (IST)
Chen Yufei in 2019
Titles in Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Australia, Switzerland and All England Badminton Championships
18:10 (IST)
Head-to-head
PV Sindhu holds a 6-3 advantage over Chen Yufei and the two meetings this year have both been won by the Indian shuttler. She won in Indonesia and the World Championships
17:58 (IST)
Singles results today at the BWF World Tour Finals
Anthony Ginting beat Chen Long 21-12, 21-11
Chou Tien Chen beat Viktor Axelsen 12-21, 21-12, 21-15
Nozomi Okuhara beat Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-12, 21-10
Tai Tzu Ying beat Ratchanok Intanon 11-21, 21-18, 21-16
17:49 (IST)
PV Sindhu vs Chen Yufei will follow the ongoing women's doubles match between Polli/Rahayi and Chen/Jia. It is into the third game with the Chinese pairing levelling the match having taken the second game 21-10. The Indonesian pair had won the firts game 21-17. 7-4 to the Chinese at the moment
17:44 (IST)
Hello and welcome to Firstpost's live coverage of the BWF World Tour Finals from Guangzhou, China. We would keep our focus on the solitary Indian in the draw - PV Sindhu - who didn't have the greatest start to her title defence on Wednesday.