Thailand Open | PV Sindhu loses to Nozomi Okuhara in final

07/15/2018

India ended the Thailand Open 500 Series with no title whatsoever when their last hope, PV Sindhu lost to old nemesis Nozomi Okuhara in the final on Sunday. After losing the first game, Sindhu looked like coming back in the second game before narrowly missing out at the end.

Sindhu was hardly the favourite going to the final given the brilliant form Okuhara was in. She, however, had a positive start to the game before slumping fast as the Japanese shuttler took an early lead at 6-2. Though Sindhu closed her down to reduce the margin to just one in 6-5, Okuhara raced to the break with a lead of 11-2. That was pretty much it as the closest that Sindhu was at 12-10 and 13-11, barring which the Japanese ace kept the lead intact and eventually went on to win five consecutive points from 17-15 to win the game 21-15.

Sindhu started the second game on a stronger note racing to a 5-1 lead early on before Okuhara won four consecutive points from 6-2 to make it 6-6. It was Japanese’s time to lead now and she looked brimming with confidence as she led 11-9 at the break despite Sindhu’s late effort to draw level at 9-9. It was Sindhu’s last chance to get back in the match and she showed resilience by winning three consecutive points to lead at 12-11. However, Okuhara leveled points at 12-12 and 14-14 before leading by a point.

Sindhu’s rhythm was already disrupted with Okuhara racing away with the win but a win at the end of a mind-blowing rally meant Sindhu was in it at 18-18. But, temperament was never Sindhu’s forte and the Indian was seen giving away the last three points cheaply. The head to head between the two starts at 6-5 with the Japanese taking revenge for her All England Open loss.

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