PBL Season 2: Marin draws first blood for Hunters

Hyderabad: Olympic gold medallist Carolina Marin reasserted her superiority over silver medallist P. V. Sindhu as she beat her in the Premier Badminton League opener that was reminiscent of their Rio Olympics final. The Spaniard edged ahead in the first game, lost her way in the second and then went full throttle in the decider to post a 11-8, 12-14, 11-2 win for the Hyderabad Hunters against Chennai Smashers at the Gachibowli Stadium here on Sunday evening.

However, the Chennai side hit back by winning the first men’s singles and mixed doubles (their trump) matches while losing the second men’s singles to take a 3-2 lead with the men’s doubles left to play.

The high-profile women’s singles match provided a fitting start to the glitzy tournament that witnessed a tremendous turnout. Ironically, Hyderabad girl Sindhu, who turned up for Chennai, did not quite find the support, which was overwhelmingly in Marin’s favour going by the deafening decibel levels.

Both players traded points in the first game until Marin clinched it at 11-8.

She continued her form in the second to race to a 5-2 lead before Sindhu drew level and then pulled ahead. Marin kept the fight up and held four game/ match points but could not convert them. Sindhu came up with some sharp smashes but also hit the shuttle into the net as nerves began to show. However, Marin too erred on a couple of occasions to let Sindhu level the match score. Marin came swinging in the third game and raced to a 5-0 lead but not before she was engaged in an entertaining rally at 4-0 that witnessed acutely angled smashes, deft drops and timely lobs. Sindhu found the gap too wide to bridge and went down rather tamely at 2 as Marin sealed it with her signature fist pump and scream that drove the home crowd wild.

“Winning the first match was crucial and I am glad I got my team off to a good start. The support from the crowd was amazing,” marin said after the match.

Results
Hyderabad Hunters vs Chennai Smashers (Carolina Marin bt P. V. Sindhu 11-8, 12-14, 11-2; B. Sai Praneeth lost to Tommy Sugiarto 6-11, 8-11; Chau Hoi Wah/ Satwik Sai Raj lost to Chris Adcock/ Gabrielle Adcock 7-11, 9-11; Rajiv Ouseph bt Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk 6-11, 11-8, 11-6)