Hong Kong Super Series Open

(S.Ravi Seshu)

The Olympic Silver medallist PV Sindhu and national badminton champion Sameer Verma left Indian fans disappointed as they faltered at the last hurdle in the Hong Kong Super Series Open on Sunday. Sindhu, aiming to replicate her performance in China Open last week, lost to the World No-3 Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei 15-21, 17-21 while Verma went down 14-21, 21-10, 11-21 to local favourite Na Ka Long Angus.

Tzu Ying took revenge for her most crucial Rio Olympics match by dashing the hopes of PV Sindhu with her perfect all-round show. Sindhu, who is in red hot form, was found wanting in her net-play. Ying left no scope for Sindu’s natural onslaught with her swift-movement. Sindhu rekindled the hopes of Indians when she made the score 10-10 in the second game. After the break, Ying accelerated the pace to decimate Sindhu. The Indonesian Open title winner Ying, who beat World No.1 Carolina Marin twice in two weeks, came up with stunning performance in this tournament.

In the men’s finals, World No-43 Sameer Verma couldn’t handle the local shuttler Angus though he had led 2-0 in their head-to-head record. Having lost the first game meekly within 15 minutes, Verma roared back with some fine strokes from baseline in the second game. He clinched it with ease 21-10 to take the match into the decider. Buoyed by a memorable victory against World No-3 Jan O Jorgensen in Satuday’s semifinal, Verma looked like staging an upset victory.

The third game, at the outset, swung between the two players. Backed by the cheers of the local crowd, but, Angus dominated the Indian in all departments to close the game at 21-11. Verma, who appeared for the first time in a Super Series final, lost the match but won the hearts of badminton-loving Indians.