File photo of PV Sindhu© X (Twitter)
Struggling singles stars PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy disappointed yet again as India crashed out of the BWF Sudirman Cup Finals after conceding an unassailable 1-3 lead to Indonesia in a group D match, on Tuesday. Having lost to Denmark 1-4 in their opening match on Sunday, India needed to win Tuesday’s contest to stay alive in the race for the knockout stage. The defeat has rendered their India’s last group match against England — who also made an exit from the tournament — inconsequential. Indonesia, who had beaten England 5-0 on Sunday, and Denmark made it to the knock-out round after winning two matches on the trot. Denmark prevailed over England 5-0 on Tuesday.
With only two teams progressing from the group to the knock-out round, it was a must-win match for India but they were outclassed by their more fancied opponents. The poor form of their star singles players — Prannoy and Sindhu — did not help the team’s cause.
Sindhu and Prannoy had lost their respective women’s and singles matches against Denmark also.
India made a winning start with the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, who edged past Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Gloria Emanuelle Widjala 10-21 21-18 21-19 in a gruelling match that lasted one hour and 10 minutes.
In the women’s singles, double Olympic medallist Sindhu, ranked 18th now, continued to struggle for form, losing 12-21 13-21 to world number 11 Putri Kusuma Wardani, a player she has beaten twice before, in 38 minutes.
With the scores levelled 1-1, Prannoy was up against Jonatan Christie, and he was on the front foot after taking the first game 21-19. But the world number six Indonesian took control of the match after that as he won the second and third games 21-14 21-12 against the world number 30 Indian.
The women’s doubles pair of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra was no match to Lanny Tria Mayasari and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti as they lost 10-21 9-21.
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