Mumbai Rockets won 4-3 against Awadhe Warriors with to seal the tie and go to the second position on the points table in the Vodafone Premier Badminton League Season 2, powered by Maruti Suzuki here at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium today.
Saina Nehwal of Awadhe Warriors got her mojo back as she won her high profile clash against Sung Ji Hyun of Mumbai Rockets to pull one back for the Warriors after they went down 2-0.
With the clash extremely crucial for the teams as the winner would race to the top of the leaderboard, it was the match between Saina Nehwal of Awadhe Warriors and Sung Ji Hyun of Mumbai Rockets that was the cynosure of all eyes. After an interesting battle, it was Saina who finally won the match 12-10, 4-11, 11-5.
The match started on an even note with both the players winning points on regular intervals. Both the players kept a strong hold and did not let each other open up a huge lead. But it was eventually Saina who got the better off Sung Ji to take the first game 12-10.
In the second game, Saina looked off colours and Sung Ji did good to capitalize on her opponent’s mistake to win the game 11-4 to restore parity
With the match tied, it was Saina who regained her focus and was class apart in the final game. She did not give her opponent any chance to settle in the game and won the decider in a rather dominating fashion to win her second match of the league as well as maintain her unbeaten run in Lucknow.
“Lucknow has always been for me and I have never lost here. So I am happy to win here again and the fans support was just brilliant,” Saina said.
“I started off well and after winning the first game, I lost focus in the second. I had slipped to the ground and was scared as I was just out of a knee surgery and did not want to get injured again. So I lost my focus there a little, but in the third game I got it back and finally won it,” she added.
It looked like after Saina victory, Warriors will make a comeback in the match but HS Prannoy of Rockets won his trump match 14-12, 9-11, 11-8 to make the score 4-1 in his team’s favour and put in beyond Warriors’ reckoning.
Earlier in the first men’s singles tie, Ajay Jayaram of Mumbai Rockets made a great comeback to beat his compatriot Kidambi Srikanth of Awadhe Warriors 5-11, 15-14, 11-5 to help his team take a 2-0 lead in the tie. It was not only Srikanth’s first loss in the league but was his first loss against Ajay as well.
Starting the match, Srikanth was quick to get off the blocks and dominated the opening game out and out to take a comfortable 11-5 win. In the second game, Ajay made a strong comeback to snatch a superb 15-14 win in the second game.
The third game saw Ajay in the driving seat for the first time as he paced to a 6-3 in the decider. Facing down the barrel, Srikanth tried to launch a comeback but Ajay was in no mood to relent as won the game 11-5.
In the men’s doubles action, with Lee Yong Dae and Nipitphon Puangpuapech of Rockets took on the in-form pair of Markis Kido and V Shem Goh of Warriors. The Rockets pair started the match in a rather confident manner taking the opening game 11-7. Kido and Shem Goh won the next game 11-3 to force the match into the decider. It was close final game with Rockets finally winning 13-11 to halt Warriors winning streak and take 1-0 lead into the match.
In the last match Bodin Issara and Savitree Amitrapai of Awadhe Warriors won their trump match in the mixed doubles category against Nadiedza Zeiba and Nipitphon 11-8, 11-4 to secure two vitals at stay at the top of the table.
Awadhe Warriors are now at the top of the table with 14 points, while Mumbai Rockets are second with with 12 points. Chennai Smashers are third on the table with eight points, while Hyderabad are in the fourth place with five points followed by Bengaluru blasters who are in fifth position with four points, while the defending champions are at the bottom of the table with one point.
RESULTS
MD-V Shem Goh/Markis Kido lost to Yong Dae Lee / Nipitphon Pangpuapeach 7-11;11-3;11-13 (0:35)
MS-Kidambi Srikanth lost to Ajay Jayaram 11-5;14-15;5-11 (0:39)
WS-Saina Nehwal beat Ji Hyun Sung 12-10;4-11;11-5 (0:39)
MS- Wing Ki Vincent Wong lost to Pronnoy H.S 12-14;11-9;8-11 (0:42)
XD- Savitree Amitrapai / Bodin Isara beat Nipitphon Pangpuapeach/ Nadiezda Zieba 11-8;11-4
POINTS TABLE
| Sr. No | STANDINGS | Played | Match Points |
|
1 |
Awadhe Warriors |
3 |
14 |
|
2 |
Mumbai Rockets |
3 |
12 |
|
3 |
Chennai Smashers |
2 |
8 |
|
4 |
Hyderabad Hunters |
3 |
5 |
|
5 |
Bengaluru Blasters |
2 |
4 |
|
6 |
Delhi Acers |
3 |
1 |