Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Olympics: Sindhu loses to Tai Tzu in semifinal, to fight for bronze

Olympics: Sindhu loses to Tai Tzu in semifinal, to fight for bronze

REIGNING world champion PV Sindhu's hopes of securing India's first ever Olympic gold in badminton came crashing down as she slumped to a straight-game defeat against world No.1 Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei in the women's singles semifinals on Saturday (31).

The 26-year-old silver-medallist from the Rio Games, however, remained in the hunt for a bronze and will be competing against China's He Bing Jiao in the third place play-off at Musashino Forest Plaza on Sunday (1).


One of the most consistent players, who has claimed medals in all big-ticket events in the last five years, Sindhu couldn't counter Tai Tzu's deception with her aggressive game, going down 18-21, 12-21.

This is Sindhu's 14th loss to the Taiwanese second seed in 19 meetings, having also lost to her in the last three face-offs.

Tai Tzu tried to play an aggressive game, cramping Sindhu with her sharp returns from near the net.

The two played some exquisite rallies with Sindhu equalling her opponent and also unleashing a few smashes to lead the opening game for most parts.

She was up 7-3 with Tai Tzu committing a few unforced errors and entered the interval with a healthy 11-8 lead.

Tai Tzu, however, quickly erased the deficit after the break. She started putting doubts in her opponent's mind with her deceptive strokeplay.

Sindhu kept retrieving everything thrown at her and gathered points whenever she had the chance to attack.

The duo moved neck and neck from 11-11 to 18-18 before Tai Tzu unleashed a drop and then pushed one away from Sindhu's reach to lead for the first time

Soon Tai Tzu grabbed two game points and sealed it with a straight down the line forehand smash.

Brimming with confidence, Tai Tzu used her angled returns to telling effect in the second game. Sindhu tried to play her attacking strokes but her cross court smashes, attacking tosses and angled returns - all ended up going wide and long as the Taiwanese made it 11-7 at the break.

The world No.1 dished out some delightful strokes, including a cross court smash on Sindhu's backhand, an overhead straight smash, a loopy precise toss at the backline, to march ahead as Sindhu ran out of ideas.

She eventually sealed her place in the Olympic final with a flick serve and a cross court return to Sindhu's backhand.

On Friday (30), Sindhu, seeded sixth, had beaten Japanese world No.5 Akane Yamaguchi in the quarterfinals.

Earlier, men's singles player B. Sai Praneeth and the men's doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy had failed to qualify for the knockout stage.

(PTI)

More For You

KKR vs SRH

The two teams have met 28 times in IPL history so far

Getty

IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH - High-stakes Eden Gardens clash promises fireworks

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Thursday at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This match marks a crucial point in the season for both sides, as they look to bounce back after a slow start.

KKR and SRH, last season’s finalists, have managed just one victory each from their first three matches this season. With both teams desperate to gain momentum, this encounter promises to be a thrilling contest.

Keep ReadingShow less
Messi set to return to India after 14 years for exhibition match in Kerala

Lionel Messi in action against Venezuela in Kolkata in 2011

Messi set to return to India after 14 years for exhibition match in Kerala

LIONEL MESSI and the Argentina national team will visit Kerala in south India for an exhibition match in October.

It will mark Messi’s return to the country 14 years after his first visit.

Keep ReadingShow less
Prabhsimran-Singh-Getty

Prabhsimran Singh scored 69 off 34 balls.

Getty Images

Punjab secure second IPL win with Prabhsimran’s quickfire 69

Wicketkeeper-batsman Prabhsimran Singh struck 69 off 34 balls as Punjab Kings defeated Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets on Tuesday, securing their second win of the IPL season.

Chasing a target of 172, Punjab reached the total with nearly four overs to spare. Captain Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten on 52 off 30 balls.

Keep ReadingShow less
IPL 2025: RCB vs GT – Bengaluru Braces for High-Voltage Battle

Out of the 5 encounters between the two teams, RCB has won 3, while GT has secured 2 victories so far

Getty

IPL 2025 - RCB vs GT: Bengaluru prepares for a high-voltage encounter

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to heat up as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) takes on Gujarat Titans (GT) in the 14th match of the season at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 2nd. This exciting encounter brings together two teams in top form, with both having a win and a loss under their belt. However, RCB, with their unbeaten record so far in the tournament, enters the contest with more confidence.

RCB’s form and strength

RCB has been nothing short of dominant in their first two matches of the season. They have put on stellar performances, especially with their commanding victories over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In their last match against KKR, RCB chased down a target of 175 runs with ease, reaching the target in just 16.2 overs with seven wickets to spare. Their victory over CSK was even more impressive, as they handed the three-time champions their biggest home defeat in terms of runs. With two wins and a positive net run rate of +2.266, RCB’s well-balanced squad, including Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Josh Hazlewood, is primed for another thrilling victory.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lucknow Hosts Punjab in First Home Game of the Season

Fans can expect a nail-biting finish

Getty

IPL 2025 - LSG vs PBKS: Lucknow to host Punjab in first home game of the season

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 continues to build momentum, and on April 1, fans can expect a thrilling encounter as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) host Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. This exciting fixture marks LSG's first home game of the season, and with both teams coming off strong performances, the match promises to be an intense showdown.

LSG, led by the young and dynamic Rishabh Pant, have had a mixed start to the season, with one win and one loss. In contrast, PBKS, under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, will be looking to maintain their winning streak after their solid victory in their opening game. The stage is set for a thrilling battle, and all eyes will be on the key players who could turn the tide.

Keep ReadingShow less