Sindhu, Lakshya Out of Thailand Open, Satwik-Chirag Pair Marches on to Semi

Despite the defeat, world No. 12 Sindhu has a 15-13 head-to-head record against Yamaguchi. In the Malaysian Open Super 1000 tournament in January, Sindhu had emerged victorious after Yamaguchi withdrew from the quarter-final match due to injury.

Lakshya Sen also lost his men’s singles quarter-final match to the second seed

Thai Kunlavut Vitidsarn was defeated with scores of 19-21 and 16-21 in 53 minutes.

However, there was some positive news in the doubles competition; top-seeded Satwiksairaj and Chirag advanced to the semi-finals with a dominant 21-12, 21-13 win over the sixth-seeded Japanese duo of Takumi Nomura and Yuichi Shimogami.

The Indian duo will next face the third-ranked Malaysian duo Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin.

Earlier, Sindhu’s match was a tightly contested affair; Both players were locked at 11-11 before Yamaguchi took the lead 13-11. But Sindhu fought back to level the score and held her nerve to win the next two points and clinch the opening game after the pair drew again at 19-19.

In the second match, Sindhu took a 5-1 lead and initially looked determined to carry the momentum forward. However, he allowed his long-time rival to break back, tying the score at 11-11. Trailing 7-11, Yamaguchi won seven points in a row and took the lead 14-11.

By then the momentum had swung in Yamaguchi’s favor and he went on to win the game 21-18.

At the deciding stage, Sindhu was not in her element as she kept tabs on everything. The Indian player was trailing 0-5 and reduced the difference to 11-12, but Yamaguchi changed gears and achieved the score of 21-15 and won the match.

Sindhu later regretted taking a 1-5 lead in the second game and also admitted that unforced errors affected her play.

He said after the match: “I felt like I made simple mistakes because I was ahead in the second game. It wasn’t like we were rallying, it wasn’t easy points but maybe I should have turned it into a win.”

“He was holding on to the lead in the third game, but I think I gave him four or five points in a row at the start. I recovered, but at that point two or three points are still really important,” the two-time Olympic medalist said.

He admitted that he needed to be consistent to win important points.

“I think I should have had the upper hand, I made mistakes I shouldn’t have made. It’s important for me to keep the rhythm. While I’m leading this, I need to be consistent with two points from the start.

“These are the few things that (are important) at the highest level, very important. Even though I am competing with the best players there, I think it is very important to be prepared for every rally and point, it is very important, for example when it comes to the end.”

Sixth seed Sindhu beat Denmark’s Amalie Schulz 21-13, 21-15 on Thursday to advance to the quarter-finals.