If PV Sindhu’s pre-quarter-final encounter on Thursday against Cheung Ngan Yi was nerve-racking for even those sitting in the stands, the 21-year-old Rio Olympics silver medallist ensured on Friday that the match that could assure her a third BWF World Championship medal was so lopsided that it was over before much of the crowd settled down in their seats and began enjoying the proceedings.
Sindhu and her opponent Sun Yu had to wait longer than expected in the warm up area as the earlier encounter on the court went on for an hour and 14 minutes and it was clear from the body language of both the players that the Indian shuttler was the more relaxed one.
Both of them had played long matches in the earlier round – Sun Yu needing an hour and 16 minutes to beat Spain’s Beatriz Corrales – and it was important for them to start on a strong note to make a statement of intent and grab the initiative.
“Normally these matches happen, I was very much prepared. I went back immediately and recovered well and rested well. Even though it was a long match, you tend to get used to it. In big tournaments, I have played many long matches – it was very important for me to get recovered quickly and come back,” was how Sindhu explained the recovery part after the 86-minute clash with Cheung on Thursday.
And if there was any doubt about how well Sindhu had recovered from her gruelling pre-quarters, she allied all fear by starting the match at a very high tempo. She began with a clear game plan of keeping the shuttle down against the tall Sun Yu and the precision of her half smashes and the slice drops were just too much to handle for her Chinese opponent.
“I went on the court thinking I need to give my best and play my game. Last time I played her, I lost to her in Dubai (BWF World Superseries Finals). It wasn’t easy and each point was important to me, even although I was leading,” said the 22-year-old, who needed just 39 minutes to register a 21-14, 21-9 win to reach her third World Championship semi-final in four attempts and thereby assure herself of a podium finish.
The two-time world championship bronze medallist raced to an 11-4 lead in no time and the only time Sun looked like making a comeback was when she managed to string a series of four points together and cut Sindhu’s lead to 16-10. But regular service resumed immediately thereafter and she pocketed the first game in just 19 minutes.
The second game was no different as Sindhu opened up a 4-0 lead and did not look back thereafter giving away just nine points away to make it to the semi-final in just 39 minutes. She will now face junior world champion Chen Yufei, who defeated former world champion Akane Yamaguchi 14-21, 21-16, 21-12 in an hour and two minutes.
Speaking about her semi-final opponent, Sindhu said, “She is a good player and she is playing well. It is never easier in the semi-final of a World Championship, anything can happen. I have to be prepared for everything.”
Sindhu and Chen have faced each other twice in the past with the Chinese player coming from behind to win in three games at the Malaysia Open in April this year. Their first meeting was in 2015 and had also gone the distance before the Indian prevailed.
The 19-year-old Chinese player has been playing without the pressure of expectations in the tournament and it would be interesting to see how Sindhu manages to take control of the encounter as she aims to improve on the two bronze medal-winning performances of the past.
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