Indonesia Masters badminton: PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth out in semi-finals
PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth lost in straight games to be knocked out of their second-straight semi-finals.
India’s PV Sindhu was knocked out in the semi-finals of the women’s singles at the Indonesia Masters 2021 badminton in Bali on Saturday.
The reigning world champion lost 21-13, 21-9 to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in 32 minutes.
This was PV Sindhu’s first loss to the Japanese shuttler in 2021.
The Indian badminton ace had beaten Yamaguchi in the All England Open quarter-finals and during her bronze-medal run at Tokyo 2020.
This was PV Sindhu’s second-straight loss in the semis at a BWF World Tour event, having lost to Sayaka Takahashi at the French Open last month.
Starting on the slower side of the court, the two-time Olympic medallist struggled with keeping her returns in and never recovered from an early deficit.
Akane Yamaguchi got a great dip on her shots, often catching PV Sindhu out at the net and soon wrapped up a comfortable win.
The Japanese shuttler will face South Korea’s An Seyoung as she chases her third BWF World Tour title of 2021.
Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth meanwhile was no match for reigning BWF World Tour Final champion Anders Antonsen in the men’s singles semi-final, losing 21-14, 21-9.
Anders Antonsen will play Japanese world No. 1 Kento Momota in the final as he looks for his fourth BWF World Tour title and first one this season.