Scaling the tallest Chinese wall

The 18-year-old had beaten Olympic champ and No. 1 Xuerui Li last September but beating Yihan will stand out as a resounding response to the Chinese,especially given Nehwal’s struggles against the tallest of the Chinese.

This was a delectable clash — Sindhu is 5’11” and can match Yihan’s aggression spitting out from her own near-5’11” frame. The win carries greater import than mere upstaging of rankings (No 12 trumping No 2),as a tactical victory for Gopi as coach.

Over 54 minutes,Sindhu moved on court with urgency and used her condor-like wingspan in defense,to blunt Yihan’s attack. Yihan’s game focusses on raining steep shuttles downwards from great height,very quickly,something Nehwal struggles with owing to her slowness in bending forward. But Sindhu with her natural reach and practiced litheness picked everything Yihan threw at her,nullifying Yihan’s chosen weapon.

“Sindhu’s movement was excellent,it helped her reach the shuttle each time,” Gopi said. Sindhu could also parry away Yihan’s fast pushes to the back.

“How Sindhu starts is crucial and if it’s good,she grows in confidence,” said her junior coach in Hyderabad,Sia Dutt. Hence,her 13-7 lead in the first set was a big assurance to her.

In her last match against Yihan at the Sudirman Cup this May,Sindhu had had a similar one-set lead,but was taken apart in the next two,as she crumbled. “She was not happy playing three sets against the Chinese,so she wanted to wrap it up in two,” Gopi said,adding,“Sindhu is stronger and more confident now. But in a pressure game,the winner is the one who can stick on. She stayed strong despite missing 3 match points,” Gopi said.

In reaching 20-17,Sindhu was relentless in attack,especially at the net. But on the cusp of victory,she nerved up and sprayed two drops out — one beyond the baseline,the other wide. Yihan made it 20-all. At 21-21,the two were involved in a big rally. Then Sindhu’s net dribble clipped the net. At match-point,Sindhu grew more growling in her attack,and Yihan wilted hitting out for 23-21,to hand the Indian place in quarters.

Another Chinese — Shixian Wang — who fancies marathon,long-drawn rallies awaits her.

However,Thursday was special simply because preparation over the last two months was geared towards this match. Recovering from her ankle sprain,Sindhu had devoted days to speed-training so she could sprint around the court and maximise her reach. Her front-court game was sharpened so she could stand her ground when Yihan hovered ominously at the net. “She’d choke the big points earlier. But Sindhu showed grit in finishing it. Big win,great control of nerves,” Vimal Kumar,leading coach,said.

What also must’ve helped Sindhu is Yihan Wang’s own brittleness when playing at home. Famously snubbed after she had lost a crucial Uber Cup final tie to the Koreans at home some years ago,Yihan is known to be vulnerable in front of her fans especially if her opponents can run her close. Sindhu came ready for the fisticuff. Here she was playing an upstart,a junior,not good for her nerves.

“Hope she recovers fast,” Gopi says. Nehwal has Shixian’s number given they play similar styles,but Sindhu might not like the slow torture of long rallies. On a memorable Thursday though,Gopi had the Sindhu trick up his sleeve and Yihan was conquered.