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Sindhu upstaged in badminton's Thailand Open / Photo: © AFP
Sindhu upstaged in badminton's Thailand Open
Indian badminton powerhouse P.V. Sindhu toppled out of the Thailand Open Saturday at the hands of Chinese Olympic champion Chen Yufei, who booked herself a finals berth.
Chen, who is third in the world, was dominant in attack during the first game but seventh-ranked Sindhu's bid for a comeback came too little to late -- losing 17-21.
The Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist came out firing in the second, racing off to a five-point lead ahead of the interval.
But Chen quickly clawed back and took control of rallies with some stellar smashes and net work, sealing victory 21-16.
Meanwhile, Thailand's eighth-ranked Ratchanok Intanon was unable to capitalise on a home-court advantage in her match against second in the world Tai Tzu-ying.
The Taiwanese 27-year-old polished off the former world champion in a topsy turvy three-match nail biter 10-21, 21-13, 21-19.
In the men's singles the field was depleted of heavyweights earlier in the week when world number one Viktor Axelsen, from Denmark, withdrew over injury concerns and out-of-sorts former world champion Kento Momota crashed out in the first round.
The highest-ranked player, Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia, who is sixth in the world, outplayed compatriot 34th-ranked Daren Liew 21-16, 13-21, 21-14.
China's Li Shifeng, who is 49th in the world, scraped into Sunday's final after outmaneuvering Japan's Kodai Naraoka, who is ranked one place ahead, in a 93-minute marathon match 21-19, 16-21, 21-19.
The Thailand Open concludes on Sunday.
A. Walsh--BTZ
