Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Glasgow, August 28,PV Sindhu’s gallant effort to become India’s first ever world badminton champion ended in a heart-wrenching defeat against Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in an epic final of the Badminton World Championships here today. In the longest match of the tournament, which tested the physical and mental strength of both the players, Sindhu lost 19-21 22-20 20-22 after battling hard for an incredible one hour and 49 minutes. Their bodies were falling apart as the match progressed but both Sindhu and Nozomi used every ounce of energy left to make it an epic contest.
Okuhara takes first game
Sindhu, seeded fourth, was a little sluggish to start with and was 3-5 down. She, however, reeled off eight points on the trot to grab an 11-5 lead at the break. The Indian used her height to good use, retrieving the shuttles quickly and using cross-court returns to trouble the Japanese. Sindhu showed good anticipation and used deception well to move to 13-8 but the pint-sized Japanese changed gears and started dictating the rallies. She caught up with Sindhu at 14-14, and then grabbed the lead. Nozomi raced to 18-14 after winning 10 of the 13 points after the interval. However, the Japanese committed a few unforced errors, which helped Sindhu to level at 19-19. Sindhu then sent one to the net to hand over the gamepoint to Okuhara, who pocketed the game when the Indian hit long.
Sindhu hits back
After the change of sides, Nozomi struggled to control her lifts and miscued a few shots as Sindhu opened up a 5-1 lead. Sindhu made some sound judgements at the baseline and extended the lead to 9-3. Nozomi quickly staged a comeback, but the Indian managed to hold an 11-8 lead at the interval. At 15-13, another exceptional rally unfolded with Sindhu making the Japanese run to deep corners. Even though Nozomi made some remarkable retrieves, she miscued a shot at the forecourt, giving Sindhu a 16-13 lead.
Nozomi brought more power to her smashes to breach Sindhu’s defence and created acute angles to reduce the margin to 16-17. Two backhand returns and a block at the net helped Sindhu move to 18-16. An extraordinary net return gave her another point, and she grabbed the gamepoint when Nozomi went long. Not ready to give up, Nozomi fell back on her extraordinary net game to save three gamepoints. Sindhu then won a point by pushing the shuttle to the back of the court. What ensued next was a 73-shot long and exhausting rally which Sindhu managed to win when Okuhara’s return found the net.
Okuhara takes game, match
In the decider, Nozomi opened up a 5-1 lead as Sindhu looked a tad exhausted. However, some clever returns helped the Indian draw level at 5-5. The momentum shifted again in Sindhu’s favour as she started dominating the rallies and reached the break at 11-9. After the change of sides, Nozomi erased the deficit with a backhand body smash and a forehand return. Sindhu won another long rally but she lost her second video referral as Nozomi led 13-12. They moved neck and neck till 17-17 before the Indian grabbed a 19-17 lead. The Japanese then produced a perfect reverse slice and a cross-court smash to once again draw level at 19-19.
A net error from Sindhu handed a match point to Nozomi but the Indian saved it after winning another long rally. The Japanese grabbed the match point when Sindhu found the net, and a perfect return on Sindhu’s backhand saw her become the first shuttler from her country to win the World Championships.
Axelsen tames great Dan
Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen ended Lin Dan’s dream of a record sixth singles title at the Badminton World Championships by winning the final on Sunday. Axelsen became the third Dane to take gold with a 22-20 21-16 win over the legendary 33-year-old from China. The last Danish victory had also come in Glasgow, courtesy of Peter Rasmussen in 1997, and the first was 40 years ago when Flemming Delfs claimed the title at the inaugural championships.”
