Badminton World C’ships: Carolina Marin Beats PV Sindhu in Final
Live updates: PV Sindhu is playing Carolina Marin in the finals of the Badminton World Championships in China.
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- Carolina Marin has beaten PV Sindhu 21-19, 21-10 in the women’s singles final at the Badminton World Championships
- Marin is the first women’s player to win three World Championship golds
- This is Sindhu’s second silver medal in as many years after she lost the final in 2017 as well.
Marin Wins The Final
Match point for Marin and she’s serving from the right side of the court. Sindhu’s backhanded return goes long and that’s the end of the match.
Marin screams out loud and is down on her knees. She kisses the court and celebrates becoming the first-ever women’s badminton player to win three World Championship gold medals.
21-19, 21-10 is the final scoreline.
This is Sindhu’s second straight silver in as many years.
Game 2: Marin Leads 16-4
“There is a real sense of inevitability about this now,” is what the television commentators are saying as Marin is racing to her third World Championship title.
Sindhu had a chunk of the lead in the first game but from the moment Marin started her fightback, she’s managed to maintain the momentum and is looking set for a win here.
The Indian third seed has been in three finals this year but failed to finish on top of the podium each time. So, does this then earn her a ‘choker’ reputation? No, say the commentators. “It is just that she, on the day, meets an opponent who is playing simply great badminton.”
Game 2: Marin Races to 8-2 Lead
Much quicker and much more accurate of the two players on court is Carolina Marin right now. The former two-time champion races to an 8-2 lead in the second game.
Sindhu needs to start her fightback now if she’s to have any chance in this match.
Marin Wins Game 1
Players are tied at 18-18 in the first game when Marin once again pulls ahead, this one leads right into the clincher.
It’s Marin’s serve and Sindhu is cautioned for time wasting and the point that follows sees yet another long rally with Sindhu being caught on the wrong foot. She’s leaning to her right when Marin’s return lands one foot to her left. 19-18 to Marin.
Marin serving again and invites Sindhu to the net. The India’s backhanded reply though flies wide off the cross court. 20-18 Marin and game point.
Sindhu manages to save one game point when her reply is to the back end of the court, Marin leaves it for out, but it’s not. 20-19 to Marin.
Sindhu’s serve and Marin smashes one from the back end of the court. Sindhu receives it on her right but the return only has enough life to reach the net and bounce back onto her side of the court.
Game 1 to Marin 21-19.
Game 1: Marin Maintains Pressure
Sindhu has been in constant lead in the match but Marin has managed to stay on her heels and has now finally pulled ahead.
Sindhu was 15-11 but Marin won a string of points from there, leading to a smash right near Sindhu’s left foot to go 16-15 up.
Game 1: Sindhu Leads 8-5
Sindhu extends her lead and now it’s Marin’s turn to get back into the game. She sends a service reply to the far court and Sindhu leaves it thinking it to be out, but it’s not. The next point sees some net-play between the two and Sindhu’s return this time falls short and back into her side of the net.
There’s a scream from Marin and she’s made it 7-8. She’s managing to keep the pressure on.
At the break, Sindhu leads 11-8.
Game 1: Marin Takes Early Lead, Sindhu Fights Back
Marin has the early lead as the match gets underway. She races to 3-1 but the fifth games sees a long rally between the two with the Spanish player in blue hitting long. Sindhu then collects one more point and ties the score before racing to a 5-3 lead.
Game Time!
The mixed doubles final is all wrapped up with Chinese top seeds Zheng and Huang Yaqiong beating second seeds Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping 21-17, 21-19.
Which now means... it’s time for Sindhu and Marin to step onto the court for their summit clash.
Match to Start Shortly
The Sindhu vs Marin final is the third match of the day at the Badminton World Championships in Nanjing, China.
The first match on the court is over and the second is in the second game so we should have the women’s final underway in less than half an hour.
Some trivia: Sindhu and Marin’s head-to-head record is currently tied at 6-6 but Sindhu holds the edge in recent encounters. In the one match the pair played this year, Sindhu beat Marin in straight games last week in Malaysia. Also, since Marin beat Sindhu in the final of the Rio Olympics, the Indian third seed has won three out of four matches between them.
Podium Finishes
Both Sindhu and Marin have featured in the finals of the badminton World Championships quite a few times already with Marin having bagged the title twice in her career, in 2014 and 2015.
Sindhu is attempting to become the first-ever Indian to win a gold at the Worlds, herself having won a silver in 2017 and bronze medals in 2013 and 2014.
Road to Finals
On Saturday, Sindhu defeated second-seeded Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 21-16, 24-22 to reach the final. She trailed 8-4 in the first game and a remarkable 19-12 in the second but managed to fight her way back and book a berth in the final.
"I was determined to fight until the last point," Sindhu said. “Tomorrow (Sunday) is going to be an aggressive match. Again we know each other’s game, so no easy matches, no easy points, just have to turn up and give my best tomorrow,” added the Indian talking about her match against Marin.
Spain’s Marin beat He Bingjiao of China 13-21, 21-16, 21-13. Marin was overwhelmed in the first game but got stronger as the match went on, ultimately cruising to victory.
"It means a lot to me to get to the finals," said Marin, the world champion in 2014 and 2015 and Olympic champ in Rio.
Sindhu vs Marin: Episode 13
PV Sindhu is facing a familiar opponent in the gold medal match of the 2018 Badminton World Championships.
We’re going to be getting you the live updates from the action in China as Sindhu takes on Carolina Marin in the women’s singles final. This is the Indian third seed’s second straight final at the tournament after she settled for silver in 2017.
Sindhu and Marin are 6-6 in career meetings but the Indian star won the pair’s last match-up. At the Malaysia Open last week, Sindhu beat Marin 22-20, 21-19 in the quarter-final.
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