Uber Cup, Group D India 4-1 USA: PV Sindhu, wasting little time, took India off to a winning start in this tie. Promoted to the first doubles slot, Tanisha Crasto and Treesa Jolly then made it 2-0 with another impressive outing. Aakarshi Kashyap registered a tidy win to give India the point for the tie and all but assured of a place in the knockouts (once Korea won their tie). Simran Singhi and Ritika Thakker couldn’t complete their comeback in the second doubles tie after fighting back in the second game. In the end, Ashmita Chaliha applied the finishing touches with relative ease as India wrapped up the tie 4-1.
Uber Cup, Group D India 4-1 USA: And it’s official, Korean and Indian women’s teams are through to the knockouts of the Uber Cup and their match on Wednesday will decide the top spot.
Uber Cup Group D: A Korea win in this match will confirm the progress for both Korea and India.
India 4-1 USA, Ashmita Chaliha 21-18, 21-13 Natalie Chi: Ashmita Chaliha seals it nice and easy! Had a bit of a concentration lapse in the opening game but does well to close this out.
India 3-1 USA, Ashmita Chaliha 21-18, 14-6 Natalie Chi: Ashmita bouncing around the court now, the finish line in sight.
Meanwhile, Canada have certainly not made it easy for Korea! They had match points in the first doubles tie too, could easily have been leading 2-1 at this stage. Korea are 2-1 as things stand. Wen Yu had her moments against Aakrshi Kashyap, puts into light the importance of that win for India.
India 3-1 USA, Ashmita Chaliha 21-18, 8-4 Natalie Chi: Ashmita dictating the pace now and Chi seems to be little bit in trouble with the drift.
India 3-1 USA, Ashmita Chaliha 21-18 Natalie Chi: It’s been a bit up and down shot-making wise by Ashmita but she recovers from a mini slump to take the opening game.
India 3-1 USA, Ashmita Chaliha 16-14 Natalie Chi: “Ashmita’s lost focus here,” says the commentator as Chi makes it 14-14 and it is something that she is a bit notorious for, for all the talent that she has. She retakes the lead though.
India 3-1 USA, Ashmita Chaliha 13-12 Natalie Chi: Ashmita’s run of points came to a close at 8 and Chi has closed the gap again.
India 3-1 USA, Ashmita Chaliha 11-7 Natalie Chi: From 4-7 down, Ashmita takes a 11-7 lead into the interval. Good run of points but the teenager is playing well too.
India 3-1 USA: Ashmita Chaliha, after her superb comeback win in the tie against Canada, might hope for a slightly easier win here. Takes on 17-year-old Natalie Chi.
India 3-1 USA, Simran-Ritika 12-21 21-17, 13-21 Lam-Lee: Match points galore for the Americans and they need just one. Lauren Lam, who plays singles regularly on the BWF World Tour, brought out some gun shot-making. USA on board.
Meanwhile on Court 4, even in WS2 Korea have been taken to the decider.
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 12-21 21-17, 10-15 Lam-Lee: More brilliance from Lee this time at the net and the Americans stay ahead.
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 12-21 21-17, 7-13 Lam-Lee: “Same energy as the second set, come on girls,” says Boe. You can hear the Indians cheer from the stands. But the Americans looking good for this one. This time a brilliant winner from Lee.
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 12-21 21-17, 6-11 Lam-Lee: Well, the Indians are playing alright in this one. But the shot-making of Lam is proving to be the difference maker.
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 12-21 21-17 Lam-Lee: Game 2, India. Could not hear what Boe had to say in the interval but that is pretty much what he had wanted to see from his wards after the first game. Strong response.
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 12-21 15-16 Lam-Lee: Lauren Lam is really a class apart on this court when it comes to shot-making. Lovely precise smash.
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 12-21 14-12 Lam-Lee: And there it is. Aggression from closer to the net, fast movement side to side and the Indians are in the lead. The response that Boe wanted.
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 12-21 7-11 Lam-Lee: Better from the Indians here it must be said, a bit more intensity in rallies. But the Americans still have a decent lead heading into the interval.
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 12-21 4-9 Lam-Lee: Just not happening for the Indian pair in this one... they continue to look flat. Boe might be pleased with that part, even if the match is largely inconsequential.
India doubles coach Mathias Boe to Simran-Ritika: “Start all over. Attitude is not good enough. Right now, it’s just playing... it looks I forced you to play! A little bit more smile on your faces, it’s OK if things don’t work.”
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 12-21 Lam-Lee: Lauren Lam’s singles style shot-making proving quite a handful for the Indians. The Indians are a bit flat-footed. Will be interesting to see what Mathias Boe has to say to them.
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 11-16 Lam-Lee: Neither pair finding any fluency at the moment.
India 3-0 USA, Simran-Ritika 6-11 Lam-Lee: A strong start for the Americans in this tie.
Korea are being pushed by Canada in their tie, with the WD1 match going the distance after Koreans had to save match point. But they should win the tie soon-ish & both teams will be through to knockouts.
India 3-0 USA: Time for Simran Singhi and Ritika Thakker, the regular pairing reunited for this match. Lauren Lam is a more regular singles player for USA.
India clinch the tie 3-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 21-18, 21-11 Esther Shi: A strong finish from Aakarshi and that has sealed the tie for India (and all but assured them of a place in the knockouts)
Here’s how the two games panned out:
India 2-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 21-18, 15-10 Esther Shi: The American did well after the interval but Aakarshi is pulling ahead once more. Some nice flat drives from the Indian.
India 2-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 21-18, 11-5 Esther Shi: The downward slice drops have worked like a treat for Aakarshi. Into the interval with a handy lead.
India 2-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 21-18, 8-3 Esther Shi: Aakarshi in control now.
India 2-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 21-18 Esther Shi: And Aakarshi refocusses to go back doing what she does best. Rally. A run of four straight points to take the opening game. That little phase was her best of the match yet. Keeping the shuttle well within the lines but also moving her opponent side to side.
India 2-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 17-18 Esther Shi: Well, well. We are level. Aakarshi giving up a couple of easy points. The quality hasn’t been great in this match so far... and the American is now in the lead as AK pushes one long.
India 2-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 16-14 Esther Shi: And as we say that, a nice run of winners from Shi. Looks like our jinxing game is on point for this one.
India 2-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 16-11 Esther Shi: The American is not keeping enough shuttles in play to bother Aakarshi at the moment.
India 2-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 11-9 Esther Shi: Steadies herself, Aakarshi, after that erratic phase. The drop shots are working well for her at the moment. Words of advice from coach DK Sen (Lakshya’s father) at the break.
India 2-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 6-7 Esther Shi: And as we say that, as series of unforced errors from the Indian. Tapping the back of her head with the rackethead.
India 2-0 USA, Aakarshi Kashyap 6-3 Esther Shi: Aakarshi was off to a slow start in the tie against Canada, but more confident here straight away.
India 2-0 USA: Aakarshi Kashyap, 20-year-old who topped the selection trials recently, on court for the 2nd singles tie against another 20-year-old.
A quick replug for our feature on Aakarshi:
Indian badminton: Aakarshi Kashyap’s one-track mind helps her realise a dream
India 2-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 21-19, 21-10 Corbett-Lee: Tanisha Crasto and Treesa Jolly were off to a slow start but once they won a tight opening game, they were dominant in the 2nd. Led 12-0 at one point. Needed just 34 minutes to wrap this up in the end.
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 21-19, 18-9 Corbett-Lee: Now that’s more like a women’s doubles rally! Great retrieving from all four players and eventually the pressure pays off for the Americans. Easily more than 50 shots in that one. A nice little phase for the youngsters this after a horror start to the game.
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 21-19, 16-4 Corbett-Lee: Looked like Tanisha wanted to serve the game out! Looked crestfallen to lose the serve after 12 straight points! Still very much in control the Indians.
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 21-19, 11-0 Corbett-Lee: Wowza! What a start to the second game by the Indians. Into the interval without losing serve! Tanisha kept the serve all to herself.
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 21-19 Corbett-Lee: Game 1, India. Treesa sets it up with a smash, Tanisha finishes it off. That ploy has worked nicely. The latter is pumped!
(Score corrected)
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 20-18 Corbett-Lee: Lovely change of direction from Treesa to get the serve back, Tanisha is more pumped than her. Soon enough game points for the Indians.
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 18-19 Corbett-Lee: The Americans not going away without a fight too. Good battle this. An error each from Tanisha and Treesa and they trail.
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 16-15 Corbett-Lee: And we are level at 15. Treesa starting to dictate from the back court. Tanisha picking up the shuttles early at the net... into the lead as well now, the Indians.
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 11-13 Corbett-Lee: The Indians are now moving superbly, a great point by Treesa from the backcourt, bringing out her power and then a subtle finish. Crasto prowling at the net.
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 5-11 Corbett-Lee: The Indian youngsters yet to get going in this one. Mathias Boe will have his chance to offer his inputs here.
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 4-9 Corbett-Lee: Crasto, the senior most in the middle at 19, trying to impose herself now. A lovely rally at 3-8 goes the way of the Americans.
(Score corrected)
India 1-0 USA, Treesa-Tanisha 1-6 Corbett-Lee: Well, what a start for the Americans. The team of 16-year-old and 17-year-old starting off on fire against the team of 18-year-old and 19-year-old in this battles of teenagers.
India 1-0 USA, Treesa Jolly-Tanisha Crasto vs Francesca Corbett-Allison Lee: Unranked Indians vs world No 91 from USA. But make no mistake, the Indians are strong favourites here too. Tanisha is pairing with Treesa as Gayatri is absent due to injury and both the youngsters are fantastic doubles players in the making. Were superb in the tie against Canada.
India 1-0 USA – PV Sindhu 21-10 21-11 Jennie Gai: PV Sindhu wraps things up nice and early. Needed 26 minutes on court, defeating Jennie Gai 21-10 21-11 to give India the lead.
Here’s how the 2 games panned out:
India vs USA – PV Sindhu 21-10 19-11 Jennie Gai: Yep, not messing around anymore. Sindhu finishing points off with pace.
India vs USA – PV Sindhu 21-10 16-11 Jennie Gai: Sindhu’s level not quite high in this game, and the drift is certainly playing its part. And she is not trying to force the pace either, very few smashes. Just trying to get... catch the drift, so to speak. A first little ‘come on!’ as she senses the American getting closer.
India vs USA – PV Sindhu 21-10 11-5 Jennie Gai: Into the lead at the interval on a service error from her opponent but just a few errors in that phase from Sindhu, perhaps trying out a few things to check the drift out and such.
India vs USA – PV Sindhu 21-10 6-2 Jennie Gai: Was interesting trying to listen to Sindhu and coach Vidhi speak in the break. She seemed to say that the new shuttles are going long when lifted... and her coach was asking her to mix things up in anticipation of what she could be facing tomorrow against An Seyoung.
India vs USA – PV Sindhu 21-10 Jennie Gai: Game points galore for the Indian star, and she converts her second. Jennie Gai had a good second half, but yeah, the Indian, despite a few errors late on, in control throughout.
India vs USA – PV Sindhu 16-8 Jennie Gai: A nice run of four consecutive points for Gai, a straight smash and crosscourt winners thrown into the mix.
India vs USA – PV Sindhu 11-4 Jennie Gai: The bespectacled American from Massachusetts won the first point of this match but Sindhu doesn’t take long to impose herself on the game. Couple of nice rallies but sharp stuff from the Indian.
Uber Cup, India vs USA, Group D – PV Sindhu vs Jennie Gai: Here we go then, first meeting between the two. Jennie Gai is a 21-year-old who plays both doubles and singles on tour. She didn’t play singles against Korea. USA would normally have been led by Beiwen Zhang but she is not part of the squad.
7.30 am: Indian women’s team are back in action after a day’s rest. PV Sindhu will soon be out on court first for the singles tie.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of day three of the Thomas and Uber Cup finals in Bangkok.
For India, Uber Cup Group D match to look forward to today. PV Sindhu will be leading her side against USA and on paper, the Indians are overwhelming favourites to win this. If Korea to win their tie against Canada, as they would be expected to, India and Korea will progress to knockouts.
Thomas Cup: Srikanth, Satwik-Chirag and Prannoy help India defeat Canada 5-0, qualify for knockouts
Screenshots in the blog courtesy Tournament Software / Viacom 18