PV Sindhu lost the semi-finals against Akane Yamaguchi.
In the penultimate encounter of the All England Open Badminton Championships 2018, PV Sindhu had to bow out after losing the semi-final against Akane Yamaguchi. In a contest which lasted more than an hour, Sindhu lost the encounter by a margin of 21-19, 19-21, 18-21. Both the shuttlers took each other to the limit and that can be gauged from the fact that two of the longest rallies spanned as many as 44 and 51 shots. However, it was Yamaguchi who advanced to the final of All England Championships after a thrilling battle. In head to head records, Sindhu had a better score, winning 6 out of the 9 previous encounters. However, on the day when it mattered most t was the Japanese shuttler who brought out her A-Game.
With fellow Indians already bowing out of the tournament, Sindhu remains the lone ranger for India. But with this loss, India’s challenge has come to an end.
PV Sindhu vs Akane Yamaguchi: As it happened
PV Sindhu loses the semi-final 21-19, 19-21, 18-21 against Akane Yamaguchi. She has to bow out of the tournament while Yamaguchi advances to the final of All England Championships! Stunning match and a great result for the Japanese!
More than an hour of play and it is 17-17 all between the two. Great determination by the two players.
Another rally but this time it is Sindhu who ends on top. A calm backhand flick leaves Yamaguchi sprawling on the court.
Unforced errors at the net coupled with wrong judgments has allowed Yamaguchi to claw back. She seems to be tiring.
Another sensational rally between the two rivals. 51 shots in all and the absorbing period of pay ends with a brilliant drop shot by the Japanese. Sindhu 13-10 Yamaguchi
Sindhu continues to extend her lead. Yamaguchi is losing the plot here as she is being harried across the court.
At the interval, Sindhu has a four-point advantage, courtesy of yet another terrific forehand smash across the court.
A brilliant start to this decider and Sindhu is matching fire with fire. She has managed to produce her big smashes when it was needed the most.
A brilliant smash by Sindhu and it gives her a 2 point cushion. Yamaguchi is livid with herself. However, Sindhu's stamina has been a concern in the past. It remains to be seen whether the Japenese can take her to the limit.
Once again this is a classic match between Sindhu and Yamaguchi. The first game was won by the Indian and then the Japanese bounced back! both players have scored the exact same number of points going into the third set. Into the decider now!
Sindhu misses a smash and it is game point for the Japenese. Another great rally but the shot goes wide.
A couple of crucial points and Sindhu is back into the match. A quick backhand flick couple with a wide shot by the Japanese allows Sindhu to get back into the match. It's getting tight here.
Yamaguchi has a four-point cushion now. She has momentum on her side and it seems we are heading for a decider.
Has to be the best rally so far. More than 40 shots in it. Sindhu attempts to smash but fails. The gap continues to increase.
WOW! What a brilliant drop by Yamaguchi and Sindhu dives but can't save the point. The Japanese shuttler is slowly taking the lead.
Vitali point for the Indian courtesy of a crosscourt smash with aplomb. A good rally between the two and both women are giving it their all.
At the interval of second game, it is Sindhu 9-11 Yamaguchi. The Japanese is not letting Sindhu get away with anything and is determined to take the match into the next game.
Sindhu levels the score with a brilliant forehand at 5-.5. She then takes a 6-5 lead but Yamaguchi takes advantage of her slip and smashes one down the middle to level it at 6-6.
In the second game, PV Sindhu looking to change the pace of the game with more net play! She has managed to get Yamaguchi to move around a lot more. But the Japanese has been equal to the task.
First game in the bag for Sindhu. Brilliant smash down the center seals the set for Sindhu 21-19 Yamaguchi.
Stunning fightback by the Japanese as it is game point for Sindhu.
This is a stunning game from the two players. Yamaguchi trying to move Sindhu around a lot and successfully matches her.
Yamaguchi is slowly getting the measure of her opponent. The rallies are starting to get longer. A brilliant point at the net for the Japanese and the difference is narrowed down to just one point.
Unsuccessful challenge by PV Sindhu. Poor judgment as the shuttle is on the line.
Akane Yamamguchi is clearly is struggling. Sindhu is supremely confident as she grabs point after point. A brilliant smash sees her extend the lead further.
Six point advantage for the Indian at the first break of the first game. Coach Pulela Gopichand asks her to continue the attack. Great start for Sindhu
Sindhu is dominating here. She is using her height to her advantage as Yamaguchi struggles to get back up. Terrific start for the world no 2.
Yamaguchi to serve first in the all-important final and it is Sindhu who wins the first point. She goes on to win the next two as well. Good start for the Indian.
PV Sindhu and Akane Yamaguchi are out on the court for their semi-final match of All England Championships. A big game for Sindhu as she looks for a berth in the finals.
Pedersen/Juhl (DEN) become the first Europeans to book their spot in the final
Marcus F Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya once again overcame the challenge of Mads Pieler Kolding and Mads Conrad-Petersen to reach the final
PV Sindhu has the golden opportunity to reach the semi-final of All England Championships but for that, she needs to beat the second seed Akane Yamaguchi. In their last meeting at the Badminton Asia Team Championships it was Sindhu who emerged victorious.
Welcome to our live coverage of All England Championships where India's PV Sindhu faces Akane Yamaguchi of Japan for a place in the final. Sindhu has a 6-3 head-to-head record over the Japanese. She is seeded second in the tournament where she has never reached the final. A chance here to better that record. Stay tuned for live updates.