The magical run of world no. 4 Pusarla V. Sindhu of India continued after outlasting world no. 9 He Bing Jao of China in three games, 21-9, 13-21, 21-19, to book a place in the semifinals in the women’s singles at the SMART Badminton Asia Championships 2022, Friday at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex in Muntinlupa City.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist needed to fend off the late challenge from the Chinese foe who came back from 16-20 down. Eventually, Sindhu found the mark to end the one-hour-and-16-minute contest.
“Each point mattered a lot, and this match is very important to me going into the semifinals. Who doesn’t want to go to the semifinals of the Asian Championships? So, I’m happy I was on the winning side,” the 26-year-old Hyderabad native said.
“In the third set I was leading 11-5 and then she came back. From there, I didn’t think it was over just because I was leading, so every point mattered a lot. It is not yet over. So yeah, I was so proud,” she expressed.
Sindhu, though, had a tough road to the title after drawing reigning champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the semifinals. The Japanese world no. 2 likewise also went the distance in her quarterfinals match against Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand, 9-21, 21-15, 21-17.
World no. 16 China’s Wang Zhi Yi also went through the semifinals after solid work past Chinese Taipei’s Wen Chi Hsu, 21-19, 21-9. She will face either world no. 13 Takahashi Sayaka of Japan or world no. 2 An Se Young in the semifinals.
In the men’s singles, Indonesian Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo also resumed his own splendid run after taking his place in the last four with a 21-17, 21-14 conquest of Li Shi Feng of China. He will battle either world No. 8 and compatriot Jonathan Christie or reigning world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the next round.
Indonesia also made its way into the semifinals in men’s doubles with young guns Pramudya Kusumawardana and Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob taking down world no. 4 Hoki Takuro and Kobayashi Yugo of Japan, 21-15, 19-21, 21-19.
China, on their part, advanced into the semifinals of both the women’s and mixed doubles with the top seeds getting through. On the women’s side, world No. 1 Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan defeated Japan’s Matsuyama Nami and Shida Chiharu, 21-15, 21-19. For mixed doubles, world no. 2 Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong conquered Kaneko Yuki and Matsumoto Misaki, also of Japan, 21-10, 22-20.
The remaining quarterfinals matches in all events: men’s and women’s singles, men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles are ongoing as of publishing.
The tournament is made possible by SMART, MVP Sports Foundation, Li-Ning, Cignal, TV5, One Sports, Robinson’s Land, Premium Megastructure Inc., Philippine Badminton Association, Badminton Asia, the Philippine Olympic Committee, the Philippine Sports Commission, and Muntinlupa Mayor Fresnedi and the City of Muntinlupa.
