PV Sindhu vs Akane Yamaguchi Semi-final: BWF World Championships as it happened - Sindhu through to finals
PV Sindhu continued her red hot streak as she beat Japanese Akane Yamaguchi in straight sets to set up a final clash with Carolina Marin. Earlier in the tournament, she shunted away Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in straight games to enter the semi-finals. She would now look to better her performance from last year when she had to be satisfied with a silver medal.As it happened:
Sindhu does it
Incredible is the word. The Indian reversed the trend and then the match ebbed and flowed, both players gave it all out, but Sindhu held her nerve when it mattered the most. Enters the final!
Sensational Sindhu
Incredible comeback by the India, she was down and out, got the break and then never looked back. Deuce!
19:20 hrs ISTSindhu fights back
The Indian comes roaring back as she wins seven straight points and now draws level with Yamaguchi. It is 19-19, sensational from Sindhu
19:11 hrs ISTYamaguchi pulls ahead
The cross court angle stroke is setting it up perfectly for the down the court smashes and the Japanese is doing it perfectly at the moment
19:06 hrs ISTYamaguchi leads at the break
The Japanese came out all guns blazing and despite Sindhu’s best efforts managed to sneak ahead at the break. Her deceptions are proving to be good for the Indian so far
19:00 hrs ISTSindhu making mistakes
Yamaguchi is all over the court, Sindhu cannot find an opening at the moment as the Japanese holds all the aces at the moment.
18:58 hrs ISTYamaguchi leads
The Japanese has got off the blocks quite swiftly in the second game, Sindhu has catching up to do. She has to break serve first.
18:53 hrs ISTSindhu clinches game
It was a wonderful comeback by Sindhu who dominated the second half and landed her smashes and played almost the perfect the game to clinch is 21-16
18:47 hrs ISTSindhu smashes
The vintage Sindhu smash makes an appearance as she sets it up perfectly and then smacks a perfect smash down the line. She is now on the move, is Sindhu
14:44 hrs ISTYamaguchi leads
It has been an engrossing contest so far, the Japanese is covering more ground and is forcing Sindhu to doubt her strokes
18:40 hrs ISTGood defence from Sindhu
This has been a good comeback by the Indian, who has hit her stride perfectly and is now bouncing around in the court with more purpose. She now leads, 9-8
18:39 hrs ISTSindhu hitting her stride
The Indian makes a comeback, works around the court and then forces Yamaguchi to make mistakes. However, the Japanese seems to be in good touch and her strokes are well timed and placed
18:35 hrs ISTYamaguchi has sprinted away
Sindhu looks scrathcy, Yamaguchi making all her moves and Sindhu can only react. Serve broken, time for Sindhu to assert some amount of dominance. 18:35 hrs
18:33 hrs ISTYamaguchi to serve
The match gets underway, Sindhu hits the net and then hits it long, 2-0 to Yamaguchi
18:29 hrs ISTSindhu makes an entry
The players have walked out, the atmosphere is electric and this will be the 11th meeting between the two players. Chants of India...India echo all around
18: 27 hrs ISTMarin enters the finals
Carolina Marin has thumped HE Bing Jiao and has made it to the finals. She awaits the winner of the PV Sindhu vs Akane Yamaguchi match. It is all setting up perfectly.