P V Sindhu, the reigning world champion, advanced to the semifinals of the women’s singles with a hard-fought straight-game triumph over world no. 5 Japanese Akane Yamaguchi here on Friday, keeping India’s dreams of earning a first-ever Olympic gold in badminton alive. In a 56-minute quarterfinal match at the Musashino Forest Plaza, the 26-year-old Indian, who won silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics, guarded beautifully and rode on her attacking all-round game to outclass fourth seeded Yamaguchi 21-13 22-20. She will face the winner of the other quarterfinal between Ratchanok Inthanon of Thailand and Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei.
The sixth-seeded Indian has an 11-7 head-to-head record against the Japanese, whom she had last defeated at the All England Championships in March of this year.
Yamaguchi attempted to play a more aggressive game, but Sindhu stood firm and used her excellent anticipation and reach to stay ahead. When there was an opportunity to put pressure on her opponent, the Indian used her aggressive smashes and half smashes.
Sindhu rapidly overcame a 2-4 behind in the first set to tie the game at 6-6. Yamaguchi made three consecutive unforced errors, allowing Sindhu to take the lead at 11-7 with a cross-court smash before the break.
Sindhu made good use of her forecourt and gained command of the net. Yamaguchi couldn’t find a solution in the exchanges as the duo played some nice rallies at a good speed. The Japanese were also far too unpredictable. When Yamaguchi sent long a return to serve, Sindhu delivered a winner near the net and took the first game. Sindhu set the tone and appeared to be in complete command, opening the second game with two spectacular smashes for a 2-0 lead. Even though Yamaguchi made a service error and struggled to keep the shuttle in while playing against the drift, she maintained her unforced errors to a bare minimum.
Sindhu took a five-point lead into the halftime break thanks to a spectacular net move and a cross-court smash. Yamaguchi, who was trailing 8-13, scored eight of the next nine points to take a one-point lead at 16-15 for the first time in the game. The only time Yamaguchi, who is famed for her retrieving abilities, was able to force Sindhu into an exhausting rally was at 15-13, when the two had an incredible 54-stroke exchange.
Yamaguchi ended the match by blasting the shuttle at Sindhu’s backhand, who was gasping for air. Sindhu was forced to play near to the lines because to Yamaguchi’s strong defence.
As the Japanese lead 18-16, she made mistakes in the process. Yamaguchi grabbed two game points with a spectacular net shot, stoking hopes of a comeback, but Sindhu answered with aplomb. She made it 20-20 by smashing clean down the line and then setting up another point with a smash and a brilliant follow-up.
She shouted her heart out in ecstasy after Yamaguchi found the net with another precise half smash down the line, giving her a match point. Sindhu had won a straight-game victory over Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt, seeded 13th, in the pre-quarterfinals on Thursday.
After men’s singles player B Sai Praneeth and men’s doubles duo Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy failed to qualify for the knockout stage, she is the only Indian competing in badminton.
