CWG 2018: Lee Chong Wei and Saina Nehwal clinches gold

Former World No. 1 Saina Nehwal defeated compatriot PV Sindhu in the all-Indian Women’s Singles badminton summit clash at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast to win the gold medal.

While, World No. 1 Srikanth Kidambi went down fighting against the legend Lee Chong Wei and settled for silver medal.

With this, Indian badminton pocketed two silver and one gold so far in the Commonwealth Games 201 individual event.

However, a fourth medal is yet to confirm, as Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will face Marcus Ellis and Chris Langridge of England in the Men’s Doubles final match on Sunday.

Saina, Sindhu showdown

The first game between the India’s favourite girls was the 22-minutes hard-fought encounter, which was taken by Saina with 21-18.

After switching the sides, the second game was a bit length that lasted for more than half-an-hour. Sindhu, somehow, grabbed the lead with 14-10 before Saina rebounded and reduced the deficit to 14-15.

Sindhu maintained her lead and reached the game point with 20-19, before giving away a point to Saina with an error on her part, that costed her the match.

With the tranquility, Saina was able to seal the game with 23-21, beating Sindhu to settle for silver.

Saina Nehwal clinched second gold at the Commonwealth Games, previously being at the 2010 Games in the individual event.

Saina’s overall face-to-face record against Sindhu is 3-1, including two in BWF and one at Senior Nationals.

Srikanth’s Silver

Newly crowned badminton World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth settled for silver after losing in the three games match against the Malaysian Lee Chong Wei at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on Sunday.

Srikanth was good enough in the first game, wherein he sealed it with 21-19, but couldn’t maintain the same form and lost the next two games with 14-21, 14-21 in just one hour.

It is Srikanth’s second medal with silver, after winning gold in the Mixed-Team event.

Meanwhile, Lee Chong Wei had fulfilled his dream of winning his last Commonwealth Games gold to make it the third. Previously he won gold in 2006, 2010.