Dubai: P.V. Sindhu lost to world no. 2 Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the women’s singles summit clash of the BWF Superseries Finals on Sunday.
In the season-ending tournament finale, world no. 3 Sindhu played her heart out before losing 21-15, 12-21, 19-21 to Yamaguchi in an energy-sapping clash that lasted an hour and 31 minutes.
The 22-year-old finished runner-up once again in her third major tournament, following last year’s Rio Olympics and this year’s Glasgow World Championship.
In scenes similar to the Glasgow World Championship final in August, the final went down to the wire. Playing in her season’s fourth final, Sindhu led 10-8 before entering the break with a three-point lead. After the interval, Sindhu moved to 13-8. Yamaguchi narrowed the lead to 13-14.
Sindhu opened up a five-point lead to pocket the first game in 23 minutes.
In the second, Sindhu zoomed to a 5-0 lead and then 6-2. Yamaguchi made it 7-8, opening up a 10-8 lead after winning an exhausting rally, entering the break ahead by two points.
The Japanese consolidated the lead to 15-11 and claimed the claimed the second game easily.
In the decider, Sindhu opened up a 4-0 lead, winning a 51-shot rally, but couldn’t prevent Yamaguchi from squaring it at 5-5. Sindhu maintained a 8-6 advantage but her opponent kept coming back. At 15-15, the lead exchanged hands. The fierce battle continued till Yamaguchi’s prompt return put her ahead 19-18. The Indian netted twice to hand the title to Yamaguchi.
In the men’s final, world no.1 and defending champion Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen came from a game down to defeat Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei 19-21, 21-19, 21-15.
In women’s doubles, Koharu Yonemoto and Shiho Tanaka defeated Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota 21-16, 21-15.
China’s Chen Qingchen and Zheng Siwei defeated Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Mans and Tse Ying Suet 21-15, 22-20 in the mixed doubles final.
