Tokyo Olympics: Superb Sindhu enters quarterfinals
Reigning world champion PV Sindhu sailed into the women's singles quarterfinals with a straight-game triumph over Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt in the Olympics badminton competition on Thursday. The 26-year-old Indian notched up a 21-15 21-13 win over 13th seed Blichfeldt in a 41-minute match. Sindhu will next face the winner of the match between Akane Yamaguchi of Japan and Korea's Kim Gaeun.
This is how the game unfolded
Sindhu mixed her strokes well, putting her attacking clears and drops to good use besides smashing her way to finish points whenever there was a chance. She anticipated the shuttle better and showed good court coverage during the 41-minute clash. Blichfeldt did have her moments but she was too erratic to sustain the pressure on the Indian, who was always a step ahead.
Blichfeldt succumbed to a series of unforced errors
Blichfeldt had a 2-0 lead early on but Sindhu soon took back control at 6-4 and entered the interval with an 11-6 lead. The Danish shuttler scripted a mini-comeback, winning six of the next seven points, riding on a few smashes and Sindhu's unforced errors. Blichfeldt then sent down two straight smashes to 14-16 before succumbing to a series of unforced errors.
Sindhu wrapped it with a delicate shot near the net
Sindhu revved up the pace in the second game to zoom to 5-0 but a wrong line judgment from her ended the run of points. The Indian shuttler was always a step ahead as she again held a five-point advantage at the break. After the interval, Sindhu lost a few points but wrapped it up with a delicate shot near the net.
Earlier, Praneeth's maiden Olympic campaign came to a halt
On Wednesday, Sindhu had defeated world No. 34 Hong Kong's NY Cheung 21-9 21-16 to top Group J. Sindhu is the lone Indian badminton hope left in the fray after B Sai Praneeth's maiden Olympic campaign ended in agony in the men's competition. He went down in straight games to Mark Caljouw of the Netherlands for his second defeat in Group D.
