Singapore Open Super 500 semifinal as it happened: Sindhu wins in straight games to reach final

That will be all from the blog. On Sunday, we will witness what could & should have been the Asian Championship final in Manila earlier this year: PV Sindhu vs Wang Zhi Yi.

Women’s singles: PV Sindhu will take on Asian Champion Wang Zhi Yi in the final. The Chinese shuttler comfortably defeats a battling Aya Ohori. Not a good day for Japan in WS and it has set up a mouth-watering final between the world No 7 from India and one of the fastest rising young shuttlers on tour.

Women’s singles: PV Sindhu’s H2H against her two possible final opponents: 12-0 vs Aya Ohori and 1-0 vs Wang Zhi Yi. A potential match against Wang Zhi Yi, however, promises to be a huge test. Wang is now the Asian Champion and has been one of the players of the season so far.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 21-7 Saena Kawakami: PV Sindhu’s first final at a Super 500 event or better since World Tour finals in Bali 2021. Was the favourite to win on paper and living up to it, she put in a clinical performance today, looked in control from the word go and never let up. The winner of Asian Champion Wang Zhi Yi and Aya Ohori await.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 21-7 Saena Kawakami: Here’s how the second game panned out. Saena just couldn’t handle the conditions, it felt like. Sindhu in control.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 21-7 Saena Kawakami: Rather fittingly, the match ends with Saena sending a lift past the backline. Sindhu lets out a roar, heads over to coach Park for a quick handshake... and out of here in no time. That was super clinical by the Indian.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 20-7 Saena Kawakami: 13 match points for Sindhu.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 19-7 Saena Kawakami: Ah, Sindhu with a challenge to check her superpower perhaps. Didn’t work that time!

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 19-5 Saena Kawakami: Oh, another delightful crosscourt winner from Sindhu. This one with an element of disguise, not so much about power. Thumbs up from coach Park. Another couple of errors from Saena and Sindhu is 2 points away.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 16-5 Saena Kawakami: This is just domination from Sindhu. Lovely crosscourt winner this time.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 14-5 Saena Kawakami: A good point from Saena right out of the interval, won with a nice smash but Sindhu immediately reasserts. Good crosscourt lift followed by another smash. Saena sends one long again.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 11-4 Saena Kawakami: There have been a few long rallies in this part of the match but Sindhu is just playing with great control at the moment. Barely making errors, dictating tempo... good to see from the Indian so far.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 9-2 Saena Kawakami: Really good rally, 32 shots... and the 32nd shot from Saena, guess what, went long on the backcourt. There was a superb disguise slice drop from the Indian in that rally too. TTY would be proud.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 7-2 Saena Kawakami: Saena has just not got her lengths right from either side of the court so far.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 5-2 Saena Kawakami: A lovely net shot from Saena.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15, 4-0 Saena Kawakami: Again a good start for Sindhu. Saena going long with her lengths once again. And then Sindhu, for her part, with a superb lift that lands in!

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 21-15 Saena Kawakami: After a couple of not-so-good leaves early on, Sindhu gets it right towards the back-end of the game. And coupled with her smashes and newfound superpower of good challenge, she takes the opening game. Flashes of brilliance from Saena but not sustained enough to trouble the Indian.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 20-15 Saena Kawakami: Sindhu’s power has been hot to handle for Saena. When she has given the height, Sindhu has come down hard. Chants of ‘Sindhu, Sindhu’ in the arena as she nails another winner. Saena gets the serve back but sends a smash well wide.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 18-14 Saena Kawakami: Two good leaves at the back court by Sindhu.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 15-13 Saena Kawakami: Best rally of the match so far. Sindhu with a great block on a body smash, stays in the point and wins it eventually. A good net shot crosscourt next up. Kawakami with a superb backhand block. A good challenge by Sindhu next (Well, well!).

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 12-12 Saena Kawakami: Sindhu ends the mini run with a good smash but after a patient rally gives the serve right back.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 11-11 Saena Kawakami: Three quick points for Saena since the interval.

(Error in the name has been corrected in previous updates)

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 11-8 Saena Kawakami: A quick word with Coach Park and off we go again.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 11-8 Saena Kawakami: A mini comeback from Saena but Sindhu goes into the interval with a 3-point lead. Good leave at the backcourt that time. The Indian is up for it, from the word go.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 9-5 Saena Kawakami: Sindhu’s smashes on point so far. Her judgement at the back court, not yet. Strong drift apparently at the venue.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 7-4 Saena Kawakami: Just a couple of loose points from Sindhu after a good start.

WS semifinal, PV Sindhu 3-0 Saena Kawakami: Sindhu has two Super 300 titles this year. Here’s a great chance to add a Super 500 to it. We are underway. And Sindhu is off to a good start.

Women’s singles: After Sindhu’s dramatic win there was upset elsewhere and it wasn’t be Pornpawee Chochuwong facing the Indian in the semifinal. Saena (sounds familiar!) Kawakami with a rather stunning scoreline to defeat Chochuwong. Here are the quarterfinals scores and semifinals lineup.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the BWF World Tour where action continues in Singapore.

After an epic Friday for Indian badminton, where all four quarterfinal matches went the distance, it was only PV Sindhu who came through for the semifinals. Saina Nehwal had match points, HS Prannoy launched a stunning late fightback, Dhruv-Arjun pushed the Daddies to the limit once again but all those three matches ended in defeats in three games.

Sindhu too had to work hard, winning from a game down, in rather dramatic fashion at the end.

Screenshots in the blog courtesy BWF / Viacom 18 / Tournament Software