Saina Nehwal loses to Carolina Marin to end India's campaign at Malaysia Masters
Other Sports | January 19, 2019 13:36 ISTMarin easily sealed the first game in 20 minutes with a measured return at the Indian's forecourt.
Marin easily sealed the first game in 20 minutes with a measured return at the Indian's forecourt.
Saina Nehwal defeated Japan's Nozomi Okuhara 21-18 23-21 to reach the semi-finals of Malaysia Masters.
Saina will play second seed and 2017 world champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the last-eight stage of the first Super 500 tournament of the year on Friday.
Saina is the only Indian in women's singles event and will next play another unseeded shuttler from Hong Kong's Pui Yin Yip in the second round.
B Sai Praneeth, meanwhile, has decided to give the tournament a miss after featuring in the PBL for Bengaluru Raptors.
Saina looked tired in the third and final game and Sindhu dominated the proceedings thereafter as the Commonwealth Games gold medallist struggled to lunge towards her forehand.
Sindhu dominated the headlines with silver medals in all major events before a World Tour Finals crown.
The beautiful couple chose colour-coordinated and traditional outfits from celebrity designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee for the special night.
Saina posted pictures with husband Kashyap on her Twitter account.
Saina said, "It is definitely a tough year. Throughout there were so many big tournaments and we did not even have time to rest and think about the next event."
It was heartbreak for Saina, who couldn't put enough pressure on Han, a 2017 world junior championship silver medallist, losing 18-21, 8-21 in a 34-minute final.
Second-seeded Saina, prevailed over Indonesian Ruselli Hartawan 12-21, 21-7, 21-6 to set up a clash with China's Han Yue.
Saina will next face eighth-seeded compatriot, Rituparna Das, while Kashyap will take on Thailand's Sitthikom Thammasin in quarterfinals.
In Sindhu's absence, Saina will be the cynosure of all eyes and the celebrated Indian has been in decent form this year having won a gold at the Commonwealth Games and a bronze at the Asian Games.
Saina looked in good touch initially but couldn't match the pace of Tzu Ying, later on, to squander four-game points and lose the opening game.
Praneeth was no match for Asian Games champion Jonatan Christie of Indonesia, going down 16-21, 14-21 in a men's singles match.
Srikanth showed great determination to outwit Korea's world No 25 Lee Dong Keun 12-21, 21-16, 21-18 in a second-round clash that clocked an hour and 13 minutes.
Sindhu, who is currently competing at the French Open in Paris, jumped one spot to stay one spot behind Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu Ying, who continues to dominate the rankings.
World No. 10 Saina will face either 2017 world champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan or Spain's Beatriz Corrales next. Fifth-seeded Srikanth will meet Korean Lee Dong Keun.
In an exciting but energy-sapping 52-minute final, Saina lost 13-21 21-13 6-21 to the superior Chinese Taipei rival.
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