Sindhu loses in semifinals, settles for bronze medal

PTI

Manila, April 30

Double Olympics medallist PV Sindhu ended her Badminton Asia Championships campaign with a bronze medal after going down fighting to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in three games here today.

The 26-year-old started the match on a positive note but couldn’t keep the momentum going, losing 21-13 19-21 16-21 to the top seed and world No. 2 Yamaguchi in a clash which lasted an hour and six minutes.

This is Sindhu’s second medal in the tournament — she had claimed a bronze in Gimcheon in 2014.

The 26-year-old, who won two Super 300 titles at the Syed Modi International and Swiss Open, took the first game easily in 16 minutes.

In the second game, the fourth-seeded Sindhu was handed a point penalty for taking too much time between points, leading to an argument with the referee.

The argument led to a momentum shift as Yamaguchi levelled the proceedings to force a decider. The Japanese shuttler found her rhythm and never let Sindhu take control again.

In the final game, Sindhu trailed from the beginning. In the end, Yamaguchi had five match points, which she duly converted.

The head-to-head record for Sindhu and Yamaguchi is now 13-9 in the Indian’s favour.

With Sindhu’s defeat, India’s challenge at the continental championships has ended.