P. V. Sindhu thrashed Carolina Marin at India Open 2017

It was another face-to-face encounter between Sindhu and Marin and this time it is Sindhu’s match. India is not yet done with the Olympic Silver celebrations and had to begin another one. Sindhu knocked down Marin by 21-19, 21-16 in All India Open badminton tournament on April 2nd 2017 at Siri Fort Sports Complex, New Delhi.

The environment in the stadium was overwhelming as it was the match between the top rivals on the court. After Rio Olympics final, this was their high circuit game. With the frenzy cultivated ambience and the arrival of Minister Vijay Goel didn’t distract her. Along with chief national coach Pullela Gopichand, her protégé Mulyo Handoyo was sitting aside for the first time in the tournament.

Marin enjoyed the support she received in India despite she defeated Sindhu at Rio Olympics. Being in the home country, the match was very important for Sindhu and she never let herself down throughout the match before Marin. Both the players are equally aggressive and deceptive during the play. The first game was a nip-and-tuck affair. After Marin ate into an early 6-1 lead Sindhu had, there were never more than three points between them. Most points were being decided by errors. The Spaniard caught up at 17-all and even led 19-18. It is there that the match turned.

Sindhu restored parity with a kill at the net after a smash. Marin helped her out when, out of anxiety, she hit her own kill wide. A smash at the body sealed the opener, prompting a big fist pump. Sindhu kept her foot on the pedal at the start of the second game, running up a 4-0 lead in the blink of an eye. Though Marin continued to eat into the margin, she could never get back on level terms thereafter. Spectators lived the 47-minute contest.

“It is a very important Super Series tournament, at home and at the start of the year. I was fighting for every point and am very happy at how I played throughout the tournament,” said the Indian. “Errors at the end of the first game hurt me badly. I played well here, but every player is improving by the day, and it is small things that make the difference,” said the Spaniard, “I am getting better after injury. The confidence is coming back and I am motivated to keep fighting hard.” They are world class players on court and good friends off court.