Dubai World Super Series Finals, key highlights: PV Sindhu books semifinal berth, Kidambi Srikanth loses again

World Superseries Finals: PV Sindhu beat Sayaka Sato to enter semifinals. (Source: AP)

After a contrasting first day of the Dubai Open Super Series Finals, Kidambi Srikanth and PV Sindhu returned back to the court for the second round of their respective group matches at the Hamadan Sports Complex on Thursday. Sindhu defeated Japan’s Sayaka Sato 21-13, 21-12, while Srikanth failed to defeat Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen in their second round robin matches of Super Series Finals, going down 21-18, 21-18. Only the top eight in the respective men’s and women’s singles rankings have earned the right to compete in the tournament. Olympic silver medalist Sindhu started the Super Series Finals campaign on a positive note by earning a point in the women’s singles category after defeating World No. 9 He Bingjiao 21-11, 16-21, 21-18 in a Group A match that lasted an hour and four minutes. World No. 4 Srikanth, however, went down against top seed Viktor Axelsen 13-21 17-21 in a Group B men’s singles match that lasted just 38 minutes. He has been placed in Group B of men’s singles event along with Tien Chen (world No.7) and Shi Yuqi (world No.8), apart from Axelsen while Sindhu has been clubbed with the Japanese duo of No.2 ranked Akane Yamaguchi and world No.15 Sayako Sato, besides Bingjiao in Group A. The two have had a successful year, with Sindhu clinching the India Open and Korea Open this year and Srikanth becoming the only Indian, and fourth player ever, to win four Super Series titles in a calendar with the Indonesia Open, Australia Open, Denmark Open and the French Open titles.

Dubai World Super Series Finals: Key highlights

2140 hrs IST: PV Sindhu wins second round match against Sayaka Sato 21-13, 21-12

PV Sindhu pulled a remarkable performance against Japan’s Sayaka Sato and quickly finished the second round match against Sayaka Sato 21-13, 21-12 in 36 minutes.

2130 hrs IST: Looks like Sindhu is in a hurry to end the game. She goes into the second game break with a five-point lead at 11-6.

2123 hrs IST: Sindhu continues to dominate at the Hamadan Sports Complex in her second game against Sayaka Sato. She leads 3-1 and will hope to maintain the lead to finish the match quickly.

2117 hrs IST: Sindhu wins opening game 21-13

What a beauty, Sindhu! The Indian shuttler has it easy and works on the initial lead to win the opening game with a difference of eight points. How soon do you think she will finish this match?

2115 hrs IST: The Hyderabadi shuttler does not let the lead slip from her hands. She extends the lead to eight points. Sindhu leads 19-11.

2111 hrs IST: Sindhu goes into the mid-interval break with a three-point lead. She leads the opening game 11-8 and now needs to maintain the lead to end the game on a winning note.

2105 hrs IST: Strangely, there is no broadcast of the live court action between Sindhu and Sayaka Sato. But we bring to you live updates from the match. Sindhu has a good start in the opening game, leading 9-6 against Sato.

2055 hrs IST: PV Sindhu takes the court against Sayaka Sato.

2030 hrs IST: We are back for the other Indian champion’s second-round game. PV Sindhu takes the court next against Japan’s Sayaka Sato. She had won her first match against He Bingjiao 21-11, 16-21, 21-18.

1859 hrs IST: Heartbreak for Srikanth, loses 21-18, 21-18 against Chou Tien Chen

Srikanth bows out of the Dubai World Superseries Finals with a second day loss to World No. 5 Chou Tien Chen. The Indian shuttler showed a gritty performance in the later half of the opening game and throughout the second game but the Chinese Taipei opponent turned out to be the better one, ending the match in 43 minutes.

1853 hrs IST: A neck-to-neck game underway at the Hamadan Sports Complex with Srikanth leading 15-14. Intensity of the match increases with each point.

1845 hrs IST: Srikanth goes into the mid-break interval of the second game with 11-9 lead. He now needs to maintain the lead in the second half to stay alive in the match as well as the tournament.

1845 hrs IST: A good start by Srikanth in the second game. The effect of the late comback in the opening game has not withered as he takes 7-5 lead. Will the match go into the third game?

1840 hrs IST: Srikanth loses opening game 21-18 

Srikanth plays some exceptional badminton in the dying moments of the opening game to reduce the 8-point gap drastically. He, however, goes down fighting 21-18 in the first game. But it looks like the Indian shuttler has gotten in his form and a comeback can be expected in the second game.

1835 hrs IST: What a smash! The game is getting intense towards the end. Srikanth is taking control and takes crucial points to make it 20-18.

1830 hrs IST: The game is in complete control of the Chinese Taipei’s player. He takes an 8-point lead at 16-8, not letting go of the decent lead he developed at the beginning of the game.

1823 hrs IST: Srikanth goes into the mid-interval break with a gap of five points. He trails Chou Tien Chen 11-6. Srikanth needs to fight back to get the game in his control.

1818 hrs IST: Not a very fine start by Srikanth, who lost the first three points to World No. 5. He, however, tries to get the game in his control and reduce the gap.

1806 hrs IST: The Indian shuttler has taken the court. This is a do-or-die match for Srikanth, who is currently on 0 points after losing the first match against Axelsen.

1736 hrs IST: Srikanth is up next to take the court against Chou Tien Chen.

1730 hrs IST: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the second day of group stage matches at Dubai World Super Series 2017. Indian shuttlers Kidambi Srikanth and PV Sindhu take on Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen and Japan’s Sayaka Sato respectively.