Asian Games 2018 Badminton News: Sindhu Won but India Lost to Japan

At the ongoing 2018 Asian Games, Indian Women’s team couldn’t progress into the next round after losing to Japan with 1-3; Sindhu secured the first point defeating Akane Yamaguchi on Monday in Quarter-Finals match.

India started their campaign with a brilliant victory from Sindhu. In the nick of the time of the first game, the Indian sealed it with an amazing cross-court smash. In the second game, Sindhu grabbed the lead with 3-1. Yamaguchi and Sindhu kept abreast of each other with 7-7, before the Japanese leads by the break with 11-10.

It was completely a nail-biting match as the Asiad demands; Sindhu and Yamaguchi goes 17-17, before the match goes to the Indian

In the second match of Women’s Doubles, N Sikki Reddy and Sunil Arathi Sara played to their best but was thrashed completely by the World No. 1 Sayaka Hirota and Yuki Fukushima. The Indian pair lost to the Japanese pair with 21-15, 21-6.

In the third match of Women’s Singles between Saina Nehwal and Nozomi Okuhara, the Japanese grabbed 4-1 lead and sooner Indian reduced the deficit by 6-7. The Japanese proved too strong for Saina by the breather with 11-7 lead.

Before securing the game with 21-11, Okuhara returned four amazing smashes from Saina by 7-13 lead.

The second game was tougher for Okuhara as Saina displayed her tough job that took her awhile to save the game with a 25-23 win.

In the third game, it took an additional effort from Saina but Okuhara took the lead. Saina lost to Okuhara with 11-21, 25-23, 16-21.

In the fourth match of the Women’s Doubles, Sindhu and Ashwini Ponnappa stepped on to the court to play against the World No. 2 pair Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi. The duo played really well with the good coordination; the game reached the deficit of 9-9 but to the Japan’s advantage of  lead by 11-9 by the half-time.

The Indian pair were able to win three points before losing in the first game.

A little bit of miscommunication engaged between the Indians, that led to a few unforced errors. Yet, they pulled off great smashes that paid them with points; the Indians lost with 12-21, 12-21 to the Japan.

Women’s Team Quarter-Finals Results:

India vs Japan

PV Sindhu beat Akane Yamaguchi with 21-18, 21-19

Sayaka Hirota/Yuki Fukushima beat N Sikki Reddy/Sunil Arathi Sara with 21-15, 21-6

Nozomi Okuhara beat Saina Nehwal with 11-21, 25-23, 16-21

Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi beat Ashwini Ponnappa/PV Sindhu with 12-21, 12-21