PBL 2017 | Marin helps Hyderabad seal semi-final spot
Spanish women’s world No 2 Carolina Marin and Indian national champion Sameer Verma won crucial matches to help set up Hyderabad Hunters’ 5-2 win over Delhi Acers in the Premier Badminton League. Hyderabad joined Awadhe Warriors, Chennai Smashers and Mumbai Rockets to complete the semi-final line-up
Sameer put Hyderabad ahead after rallying to beat 2015 world junior silver medallist Siril Verma. Siril won the opening game 11-8 before Sameer fought back to bag the next two 11-3 and 11-2.
Hunters’ mixed doubles pair of Chau Wah (Hong Kong) and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy stunned Jwala Gutta and Russia's Vladimir Ivanov 11-3, 11-4 to make it 2-0 for their side, and it appeared to be an easy run for them before world No 2 Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark restored parity for Delhi by winning the trump match against England’s Rajiv Ouseph, the 2010 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, 11-5, 11-7.
Olympic gold medallist Marin took on world No 16 Nitchaon Jindapol in Hyderabad’s trump match. The Spaniard won 15-14, 11-4 to hand her side an unassailable lead, but only after subduing a tough fight put up by the Thai in the opening game where she won seven points after being down 1-6 to level at 8-all.
Boon Heong Tan and Wee Kiong Tan defeated Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozonov 11-8, 13-11 in an inconsequential fifth match to hand a winning finish to Hunters.
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