New Delhi [India]: World No. 3 PV Sindhu came back from a game down to win her match against Mumbai Rockets’ Beiwen Zhang to give Chennai Smashers a slight 2-1 edge in the Vodafone Premier Badminton League (PBL) here at the Siri Fort Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.
The Indian began well but lost 12-15 to the World No. 11 from America in the opening game. She, however, displayed her typical grit and composure to level the match, winning the second game with a 15-7 score.
The third game saw Zhang inch ahead in a one point lead at 5-4, but Sindhu again remained calm as she regained the lead at the break with the 8-7 score. She took her chances after that and forced her opponent from one end to to the other to round up her win at 15-9.
Earlier, World No. 24 Brice Leverdez of France made a brilliant debut as he defeated World No. 30 Sameer Verma to win 15-14, 10-15, 15-14 in a high-octane Men’s Singles clash.
The Men’s Doubles encounter too went neck and neck in the initial phases. But Mumbai Rockets’ Lee Yong Dae and Tan Boon Heong eventually defeated the Smashers’ pair of Sumeeth Reddy and Lee Yang with the final tally of 15-9, 15-6 and bagged the first point for his team. (ANI)