Last Updated IST
THERE SHE GOES Awadhe Warriors' Saina Nehwal returns during her win over Cheung Ngan Yi. DH PHOTO
Saina Nehwal showed the champion material she is made of as she made a brilliant comeback from a game down to hand Awadhe Warriors a 4-3 triumph over the Bengaluru Blasters on Monday. The result meant the Blasters signed-off their home leg with a disppointing record of three losses. Playing in the women's singles match against Cheung Ngan Yi, Saina -- Awadhe's choice as trump match -- had a big chunk of the reasonably-sized weekday crowd at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium backing her, despite representing the opponent team.
The 26-year-old, who trains in Bengaluru, began strongly but faded towards the end of the first game, going down 9-11. A steely Saina came out all guns blazing in the second with some rasping smashes and smart play at the net to wear out her opponent, ranked 19th in the world rankings. High on confidence after a 11-5 win in the second game, the Hyderabadi stormed to another 11-5 scoreline to clinch the match and give her side an unassailable 4-1 advantage in the tie.
Earlier, the Blasters got off to a fabulous start with an unlikely victory as Sourabh Varma dispatched his 17th ranked opponent Wing Ki Vincent Wong 13-11, 11-7. Awadhe's Bodin Isara and Savitree Amitrapal staved off a fight from the Blasters' mixed doubles pair of Sung Hyun Ko and Sikki Reddy to bring their side back into the contest at 1-1 with a 11-9, 4-11, 11-5 win. The visitors then went ahead as Indian ace Kidambi Srikanth proved too good for World No 3 Viktor Axelsen in a men's singles rubber.
Srikanth looked the more determined of the two from the onset to overpower his superior ranked opponent 11-9, 11-9. Ko and Yeon Seong Yoo gave the home side something to cheer about in the final rubber of the day as they rallied to defeat V Shem Goh and Markis Kido 6-11, 11-9, 11-6. In the late tie on Sunday, hosts Bengaluru Blasters went down 4-1 to the Mumbai Rockets.
Results: Men's singles: Sourabh Varma bt Wing Ki Vincent Wong 13-11, 11-7; Kidambi Srikanth bt Viktor Axelsen 11-9, 11-9
(Bengaluru Blasters' trump match) Doubles: Sung Hyun Ko/Yeon Seong Yoo bt V Shem Goh/Markis Kido 6-11, 11-9, 11-6
(Awadhe Warriors' trump match) Women's singles: Saina Nehwal vs Cheung Ngan Yi 9-11, 11-5, 11-5
Mixed doubles: Savitree Amitrapal/Bodin Isara bt Sung Hyun Ko/Sikki Reddy 11-9, 4-11, 11-5
(On Sunday) Bengaluru Blasters vs Mumbai Rockets: Men's singles: HS Prannoy bt Sourabh Verma: 4-11, 11-6, 11-3; (Bengaluru Blasters' trump match) Ajay Jayaram bt Viktor Axelsen 11-8, 11-9.
Doubles: Sung Hyun Ko/Yeon Seong Yoo bt Yong Dae Lee/Nipitphon Puangpuapech: 11-7, 7-11, 11-5
(Mumbai Rockets' trump match) Women's singles: Ji Hyun Sung bt Cheung Ngan Yi 11-7, 11-8
Mixed doubles: Sung Hyun Ko/Sikki Reddy bt Nipitphon Puangpuapech/ Nadiezda Zieba 11-6, 11-7.
The 26-year-old, who trains in Bengaluru, began strongly but faded towards the end of the first game, going down 9-11. A steely Saina came out all guns blazing in the second with some rasping smashes and smart play at the net to wear out her opponent, ranked 19th in the world rankings. High on confidence after a 11-5 win in the second game, the Hyderabadi stormed to another 11-5 scoreline to clinch the match and give her side an unassailable 4-1 advantage in the tie.
Earlier, the Blasters got off to a fabulous start with an unlikely victory as Sourabh Varma dispatched his 17th ranked opponent Wing Ki Vincent Wong 13-11, 11-7. Awadhe's Bodin Isara and Savitree Amitrapal staved off a fight from the Blasters' mixed doubles pair of Sung Hyun Ko and Sikki Reddy to bring their side back into the contest at 1-1 with a 11-9, 4-11, 11-5 win. The visitors then went ahead as Indian ace Kidambi Srikanth proved too good for World No 3 Viktor Axelsen in a men's singles rubber.
Srikanth looked the more determined of the two from the onset to overpower his superior ranked opponent 11-9, 11-9. Ko and Yeon Seong Yoo gave the home side something to cheer about in the final rubber of the day as they rallied to defeat V Shem Goh and Markis Kido 6-11, 11-9, 11-6. In the late tie on Sunday, hosts Bengaluru Blasters went down 4-1 to the Mumbai Rockets.
Results: Men's singles: Sourabh Varma bt Wing Ki Vincent Wong 13-11, 11-7; Kidambi Srikanth bt Viktor Axelsen 11-9, 11-9
(Bengaluru Blasters' trump match) Doubles: Sung Hyun Ko/Yeon Seong Yoo bt V Shem Goh/Markis Kido 6-11, 11-9, 11-6
(Awadhe Warriors' trump match) Women's singles: Saina Nehwal vs Cheung Ngan Yi 9-11, 11-5, 11-5
Mixed doubles: Savitree Amitrapal/Bodin Isara bt Sung Hyun Ko/Sikki Reddy 11-9, 4-11, 11-5
(On Sunday) Bengaluru Blasters vs Mumbai Rockets: Men's singles: HS Prannoy bt Sourabh Verma: 4-11, 11-6, 11-3; (Bengaluru Blasters' trump match) Ajay Jayaram bt Viktor Axelsen 11-8, 11-9.
Doubles: Sung Hyun Ko/Yeon Seong Yoo bt Yong Dae Lee/Nipitphon Puangpuapech: 11-7, 7-11, 11-5
(Mumbai Rockets' trump match) Women's singles: Ji Hyun Sung bt Cheung Ngan Yi 11-7, 11-8
Mixed doubles: Sung Hyun Ko/Sikki Reddy bt Nipitphon Puangpuapech/ Nadiezda Zieba 11-6, 11-7.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks