March 31, 2017
PV Sindhu said Friday’s blockbuster India Open superseries contest against former world No. 1 Saina Nehwal was “just another match."
March 31, 2017
PV Sindhu said Friday’s blockbuster India Open superseries contest against former world No. 1 Saina Nehwal was “just another match."
The Rio Olympics silver medallist, who beat Saina Nehwal 21-16, 22-20 in a quarterfinal match of the Indian Open superseries badminton championship at the Siri Fort Sports Complex, said she was not desperate to win against her fancied rival.
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“She (Saina) is not special that I have to win against her. She is like another player whom I have to play. It’s not that I have to win against her whenever I play. But I try to give my best against each player and gave my best against her too.”
PV Sindhu said she was not daunted by the lofty credentials of Saina Nehwal, once trained by her coach Pullela Gopichand. Saina Nehwal, a bronze medallist in the London Olympics, is a two-time India Open champion.
After scoring a come-from-behind win in the second game — Saina blew a four-point lead — of a match marred by unforced errors, Sindhu said: “No nerves at all. I had belief in myself I will win. I wasn’t thinking of third game but was fighting to earn each point. That was important.”
Friday’s win was the first time Sindhu has beaten Saina in an international fixture.
The only time they had clashed against each other in a BWF event, Saina beat Sindhu 21-14, 21-17. This was in the title round of the 2014 India Grand Prix Gold in Lucknow.
Saina and Sindhu have a 1-1 head-to-head record in the Premier Badminton League.
Sindhu runs into Korean second seed Sung Ji Hyun of Korea in the semifinals. A win could see a repeat of the Rio Olympics final against Spaniard Carolina Marin.
Courtesy: HT
