India Open Super Series: PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal set up monumental clash at Siri Fort

Saina had made it through to the quarterfinals in straight games a little while earlier, though her form and performance against Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong in her 21-14, 21-12 victory was nothing to write home about. Though Saina was more aggressive than her opening round match, she was nowhere close to her best. But once she got ahead in both games against a player she beat in a tough final to win the Malaysia Masters in January, the result was never in doubt. But the readiness of both Indian stars for battles after their quarterfinal encounter is.

Clashes between Saina and Sindhu are very rare. They have met just once on the circuit, at the 2014 Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold in Lucknow, where the former prevailed. They have faced off twice in the Premier Badminton League (earlier the Indian Badminton League) with each tasting success once. Sindhu won their encounter earlier this year.

There are other great contenders for the women’s singles crown at the India Open – such as Carolina Marin, Ratchanok Intanon and Sung Ji Hyun – but the home crowd will have their eyes set on the all-Indian clash, and the two girls know it.

“It will be a difficult match, but I am looking forward to it and will give my best,” is all that Sindhu said after her late match against the Japanese Saena. Saina said: “She is a top 10 player and I will have to be at my best.” While Sindhu is riding the crest of a wave right now after her exploits in Rio, the London Olympics bronze medallist had to lie low due to knee surgery. Saina will, however, be keen to establish that she is still the premier queen of the court in the country despite her recent setbacks.

Role reversal
There was not much cheer for the other Indians on show at the Siri Fort Sports Complex on Thursday. Sameer Verma, who had stunned World No. 5 Son Wan Ho in the opening round, followed it up with a 21-17, 21-15 win over Hun Yu of Hong Kong to be only the third Indian success story of the day. He will face Dane Anders Antonsen in the quarterfinals.

But his brother Sourabh had a bitter pill to swallow in a 21-19, 14-21, 22-20 defeat at the hands of another Hong Kong shuttler, No. 6 seed Ng Ka Long Angus. The Indian was in control of matters for most of the contest before allowing his opponent a look in. He had a handy lead in the two games he lost, and would be kicking himself at not finishing the job, preferably in straight games.

The rematch of the 2015 India Open men’s singles final went according to an altogether different script. Two years ago, Kidambi Srikanth was in sublime form as he gave Dane Viktor Axelson no chance. On Thursday, the boot was in the other foot as the Indian had simply no answer to the No.3 seed’s power, skill and speed round the court in a 21-7, 21-12 defeat in a mere 25 minutes. “He (Axelson) was too fast for me today. I had no feel today and could not find the proper length on court,” Srikanth said.

In the absence of the likes of Lee Chong Wei, Lin Dan and Chen Long from the draw, the tall Dane would be one of the favourites for the title in the Indian Capital after enjoying an impressive run in recent tournaments. In contrast, the women’s draw is full of marquee names. Marin, the reigning Olympic champion, was too good for India’s Rituparna Das with a 21-13, 21-11 victory during which, interestingly, there were more spectators chanting the Spaniard’s name than that of the local girl.