Sindhu shocked at home
American Zhang Beiwen saved a Championship point in the Final and broke the hearts of the crowd by beating the local favourite and the defending champion PV Sindhu to lift the Yonex-Sunrise Dr Akhilesh Das Gupta India Open title here on Sunday.
In a closely fought Final, Sindhu managed a mini comeback after trailing 17-19 at one point in the 3rd game. She went as far as getting a match point at 20-19. But she missed it by hitting the net.
Zhang won the next point with a smash. In the subsequent point, the Indian hit it out to give the title to Beiwen. This was the American's first ever title.
The American believes that the lack of pressure on her shoulder helped her a lot.
"I had nothing to lose and pressure was on Sindhu. I played a lot of smashes and an attacking game which I generally don't," she said.
Beiwen also labeled it as the best moment of her career after bagging her maiden title.
"This is my first major title and I am really happy. I guess it is the best moment of my career," said Zhang.
Earlier, in front of a vocal crowd at the Siri Fort Indoor Stadium, Beiwen was leading 8-5 in the first game. But Sindhu won the next four points on the trot to make it 9-8.
Then both exchanged points and Zhang hit a smash out, which gave Sindhu 11-9 lead.
Zhang once again leaped forward to lead 16-15 in the see-saw opening game.
With a great smash, Zhang surged ahead 17-15.
Then video referral came to Beiwen's rescue. Sindhu was adjudged to win the point, but the referral showed it was out as the American took a healthy 19-16 lead.
Sindhu won the next two points to make it 19-18. But, the Hyderabadi shuttler hit it out to give two game points for Zhang.
In the subsequent point, Sindhu could not keep her smash inside the court as Zhang bagged the first game 21-18.
Losing the opener gave the necessary motivation for the Indian as she came all guns blazing in the second game.
After losing the first point, Sindhu won eight of the next nine points to lead 8-2 after Zhang hit it wide.
Finally Sindhu hit the net, as Zhang won a point to make it 8-3.
That let her revive a bit in the game as the American reduced the gap to be 13-10 at one stage.
Then Sindhu won the next six points to lead 19-10.
Soon, she had 9-game points and she bagged it in the first go when Zhang hit it wide.
As the Indian was at her mighty best, the stage was set for a perfect final game.
Sindhu carried on the momentum to lead 2-0. But Beiwen fought back to make it 3-3 first and then 4-4.
Then, the American went on a roll, winning the next five points, owing to her great smashes and took a commendable lead 9-4.
Then a close call went in Sindhu favour as she won the point through a video referral to make it 5-9.
A great drop shot saw Zhang lead 10-6.
Then, the American hit the net first and hit it wide next to make it 10-8. Sindhu won the subsequent point to make it 10-9.
But she misjudged a smash, giving Beiwen 11-9 lead.
The Indian again came back to win the next two points. Since then it was a neck-to-neck battle as the score was tied 15-5.
A great drop shot saw Beiwen edge ahead and then Sindhu hitting it out, helped her get a crucial 2-point lead with 17-15.
The Hyderabadi player started her mini fight back. From, 17-19, she won three points on the roll. First, a great return made it 18-19, then a smash made it 19-19 as she screamed in joy, knowing the value of the point.
With yet another fabulous return Sindhu got the championship point.
But to the crowd's agony, the local favourite hit it on the net to make it 20-20. Then with a smash, Zhang got the match point. With the fans on the edge of their seat, Sindhu hit it out to leave the home crowd disappointed as Zhang won her maiden title.
Meanwhile, Shi Yuqi had a memorable outing in his maiden appearance in the tournament. The fourth-seeded Chinese, who had made it to the final of the All England Open Championships last year, defeated third seed Chou Tien Chen 21-18, 21-14 in 47 minutes.
It was the 21-year-old's second big victory, following his success in 2016 French Open.
For Tien Chen, it was the second time he failed to cross the final hurdle in the Indian Open. Last year, he had lost to World No 1 Viktor Axelsen.
Men's doubles top seeds Marcus Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya from Indonesia defeated fourth seeds Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen from Denmark 21-14, 21-16 to retain their title.
In the women's doubles, third seeds Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu of Indonesia extended their brilliant run in the tournament by winning the final against the second-seeded Thai duo of Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai 21-18, 21-15.
Second seeded Danes Mathias Christiansen and Christinna Pedersen claimed the mixed doubles title by upstaging Indonesia's Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti 21-14, 21-15 in just 37 minutes.