On paper, the women’s singles badminton semi-final between current world No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying and reigning World Champion PV Sindhu at the Tokyo Olympics favors only one shuttler based on previous meetings. The shuttler from Chinese Taipei has a 13-5 record against Sindhu.
It’s a rivalry as well-known in badminton as Sindhu’s with the Japanese shuttlers (all had met 18 times before Tokyo 2020 incidentally). However, Sindhu vs Tai is by far the most one-sided.
Sindhu advanced to the semifinals of the women’s singles with a sharp triumph over world No. 5 Japanese Akane Yamaguchi, keeping India’s hopes of a first-ever Olympic gold in badminton intact.
In a 56-minute quarterfinal match at the Musashino Forest Plaza, the 26-year-old Indian, who won silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics, guarded beautifully and thrived on her powerful all-round game to overpower fourth-seeded Yamaguchi 21-13 22-20.
Yamaguchi staged a late recovery in the second set, garnering two game points, but Sindhu was unfazed, winning her 12th match against Yamaguchi in 19 meetings.
She had last defeated the Japanese in March of this year in the All England Championship.
“I’ve put in a lot of effort, and it’s not over yet. It’s time for me to return home, unwind, and prepare for the next match. I’m happy, but I have to be ready for the next match,” Sindhu added.
In another quarter final encounter, Tai Tzu Ying defeated Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon 14-21 21-18 21-18. Chen Yu Fei and He Bing Jiao, both from China, are the other two semifinalists.
Tai Tzu, the world No. 1 and Sindhu’s main competitor, is in the semifinals of a major tournament for the first time in her career, according to coach Park Tae-sang. In her career, she has never won a medal at the World’s or the Olympics. The gold medal Tai won at the 2018 Asian Games, which she won by beating Sindhu, is undoubtedly her most important achievement.
Sindhu, who has lost to Tai Tzu three times in the last three years, has proven to outsmart the Taiwanese shuttler in major tournaments including the 2016 Rio Olympics, the 2019 World Championships, and the 2018 World Tour Finals.
Sindhu, who has succumbed to Tai Tzu three times in the last three years, has succeeded to outsmart the Taiwanese shuttler in major tournaments including the 2016 Rio Olympics, the 2019 World Championships, and the 2018 World Tour Finals.
Intanon had this to say about Tai after their thrilling semi-final: “I think Tai can handle playing under pressure. That is why she returned for the second game. She might be able to get more enjoyment out of the match. She was more patient, and I missed a point for overthinking. Tai’s actions on the court are more powerful, and she has good handwork. I have no way of knowing what she’ll do.”
Sindhu also has a strong record at significant events, having won two bronze, two silver, and one gold medal at the World Championships. She has previously won silver at the Olympic Games, where she defeated Tai in the quarterfinals.
Nine of the 18 matches the two have played on the BWF tour have gone the distance, requiring three games. In recent years, four of the five matchups, notably their only match in 2021, have gone to three games. In accordance with Scroll.in
