Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi. Nov.27: P V Sindhu’s excellent run at the Indonesia Open Super 1000 tournament came to an end on Saturday as she lost in three games against Thailand’s former world champion Ratchanok Inthanon in a hard-fought women’s singles semifinal.
A two-time Olympic medalist, Sindhu lost in 54 minutes to world no. 8 and second seeded Ratchanok for her third consecutive semifinal appearance. She reached the final four of the Indonesia Masters last week and the French Open in October.
Sindhu, the world number seven, entered the match with a 4-6 head-to-head record against the Thai player, having lost both of their previous matches.
The Indians got off to a fantastic start, gradually building an 8-3 lead early on. Ratchanok got the score to 9-10 before Sindhu took a one-point lead into the halftime break.
Sindhu scored three straight points to take the lead and never looked back as she won the first game. Ratchanok regained her composure and stormed back into the match, leading 11-7 at the halftime break in the second game. From 12-8, the Thai shuttler took nine of the next ten points, leaving Sindhu stranded on the opposite side.
After going to the net, Sindhu gave 11 game points to Ratchanok, who sealed the victory with a smash on her opponent’s forehand. With her making too many errors, the world no. 8 Thai maintained her amazing run in the decider, racing to an 11-6 lead.
Sindhu returned with a cross-court drop, but Ratchanok took advantage of a misjudgment at the backline and then an inaccuracy at the net.
The Indian went on a four-point run to get to 13-16, but Ratchanok broke the run and pushed to seven match points. Ratchanok won the match with a precise return at the forecourt after a net fault delayed the inevitable.
