India's star shuttler PV Sindhu could be assured of a podium finish if she sees off world number 6 Japanese Nozomi Okuhura in the Rio 2016 Olympics semis today
India's PV Sindhu is ecstatic after stunning World No 2 China's Wang Yihan during the quarter-final tie in Rio on Tuesday. Pic/AFP
Rio de Janeiro: PV Sindhu beat No 2 seed Wang Yihan of China 22-20, 21-19 in straight games to enter the semi-finals on Tuesday.
India's PV Sindhu is ecstatic after stunning World No 2 China's Wang Yihan during the quarter-final tie in Rio on Tuesday. Pic/AFP
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Sindhu, seven years younger than Wang, reeled in a 22-20, 21-18 win to become only the second Indian badminton player after Saina Nehwal to enter the semi-finals. Sindhu was trailing marginally for the first half of the first game which was neck and neck. She was 10-12 but then came to 20-20 and maintained her composure to complete a 22-20 win.
There was a time when it seemed Sindhu was running away with the second game and the match. She was 14-8 up, but the Chinese girl slowly whittled down the lead to catch up at 18-18. Once again Sindhu showed great grit and patience and edged ahead at 19-18 and then set up two match points. Wang saved one, but Sindhu closed on the second not allowing the game to go into extra points as in the first.
Sindhu will now meet Japanese Nozomi Okuhara in the semi-finals. A win will assure her a silver medal, but a loss will give her another shot at the medal in a bronze play-off. After the match Sindhu said: "This is one of the best moments. I hope there will be many more to come."
China's Wang Yihan is helpless against one of PV Sindhu's powerful smashes
On the pressure of winning an Olympic medal for India, she added: "I was just thinking about the game. If you play really well you will automatically win the game, and a medal. I'm just focused on my match and the next match, the semis (against Okuhara). I hope I can give my best."
Asked about the tight match, she said, "There were big rallies, she was attacking well. My smashes were going out initially. Even she did not leave and she was lifting everything. I was really patient and I was ready for everything, which I feel was the turning point."
Coach Pullela Gopichand was full of praise for his ward. He felt Sindhu can defend better when she faces world number three Nozomi Okuhara. Sindhu, now World No 10, has a 1-3 win-loss record against Nozomi. Her last win was in the Asian Youth Under-19 Championship in 2012. She lost on three times since, once each in 2014, 2015 and in Asian Team Championship in Hyderabad in February this year.
Gopi added, "She did well; it was a good game. But I feel she can go a notch higher. There's some chances of improvement in a couple of areas. She's still young and has age on her side. I think she's a great fighter with great work ethic."
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