PBL: Sindhu’s win in vain as Chennai’s unbeaten run ends against Awadhe

The Smashers got off to a good start with World No.36 Brice Leverdez destroying World No.33 Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk 15-13, 15-9 to give the side from Chennai a 1-0 lead.

Sai Praneeth brought Awadhe back into the match by winning the second Men’s Singles tie against Sony Dwi Kuncoro in a hard-fought contest. Praneeth matched the seasoned shuttler from Indonesia shot for shot in the first game to go into the break with an 8-7 lead. However, a series of poor smashes and judgement from the Indian shifted the momentum towards Sony as he went on to win the game 15-12.

Praneeth turned it around in the second game with some impressive net plays to race to a 10-6 lead. Pressurized by the Indian’s comeback, Sony lost the plot in the second game to surrender the game 8-15. With the Indian dictating the pace of the match, the third set started as a one-sided affair with Praneeth going for first-time smashes to run into a lead.

Sony speeded up his game after the break to counter the Indian’s movement but missed a golden chance to level things up at 10-11 with a poor smash to put the Indian in a two-point lead. The Indonesian clawed his way back somehow to level things up at 13-13. Praneeth produced a 335 km/h smash at Sony’s body to go one point way from a crucial victory. The Indian returned a hairpin net drop and smash from Sony in the last point and then cracked a straight-down-the-line winner to take the game 15-13.

Awadhe went into the lead after winning the Men’s Doubles tie with Cai Yun and Hendra Gunawan defeating Pranav Jerry Chopra and Toby Ng of Chennai 15-13, 15-11.

PBL fans expecting the epic match-up between Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu were left disappointed after the 2012 Olympics bronze medallist opted to sit out of the match to recuperate from injury. Rising Indian shuttler G Vrushali took to the court in Saina’s absence, and the youngster was no match for the twice World Championships bronze medallist who registered an easy victory 15-7, 15-3.

Vrushali’s tactic of going for long rallies went horribly wrong as the youngster struggled to counter Sindhu’s height and down-the-line smashes. After a slight stutter at the game point in the first game, Sindhu took it 15-7 with Vrushali dragging the shot wide. The 2015 Macau Open Champion steamrolled the youngster in the second game to win it 15-3 and to level things up in the match at 2-2.

Both teams put the trump on the final match of the evening with Awadhe’s Bodin Issara and Christinna Pedersen taking on Chennai’s Chris Adcock and Pia Zebadiah in the Mixed Double’s tie. The match also proved to be the first double trump match of the season. Chennai duo of Adcock and Zebadiah looked the settled combination before the match winning all of their matches. However, Issara and Pedersen, who partnered up for only the second time in the tournament, were in full form as they registered a 15-7, 15-10 victory to win the game for the Lucknow side.

Awadhe Warriors vs Chennai Smashers 4-1

1. Men’s Singles: Tanongsak S vs Brice Leverdez 13-15, 9-15

2. Men’s Singles: Sai Praneeth vs Sony Dwi Kuncoro 12-15, 15-8, 15-13

3. Men’s Doubles: Cai Yun/Hendra Gunawan vs Pranav Chopra/Toby Ng 15-7, 15-3

4. Women’s Singles: G Vrushali vs PV Sindhu 7-15, 3-15

5. Bodin Issara/Christinna Pedersen* vs Chris Adcock/Pia Zebadiah*15-7, 15-10

(* signifies trump match)