<div><div>PV Sindhu's gallant effort to become India's first ever World Champion ended in a heart- wrenching defeat against Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in an epic final, here today.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>In the longest match of the tournament, which tested the physical and mental strength of both the players, Sindhu lost 19-21 22-20 20-22 after battling hard for one hour and 49 minutes.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Their bodies were falling apart as the match progressed but both Sindhu and Okuhara used every ounce of energy left in them to make it an epic contest.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>After closing the second game by winning an incredible 73-shot rally, Sindhu saved one championship point in the decider but it was the Rio Olympic bronze medallist who had the last laugh.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>For India, it still is a historic edition since for the first time country's shuttler are returning with two medals. Saina Nehwal won a bronze yesterday after losing her semifinal.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>India had one silver and four bronze in the World Championships before this edition.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a medal when he took a bronze in the men's singles in 1983 before the women's doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa bagged another bronze in 2011.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Rio Olympic silver medallist Sindhu came into the match with a 3-all head-to-head record against Okuhara. But the Indian had an upper hand in their last two meetings -- Rio Olympics and 2017 Singapore Open.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Sindhu, seeded fourth, was a little sluggish to start with and was 3-5 at one point but she managed to reel off eight points on the trot to grab an 11-5 lead at the break.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>The Indian used her height to good use, retrieving the shuttles quickly and started using her cross court returns to trouble the Japanese.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Sindhu showed good anticipation and used deception well to move to a 13-8 lead but the pint-sized Japanese changed gears and started dictating the rallies. She first clawed back to 14-14 when Sindhu faltered with her return serve before grabbing the lead.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Okuhara continued to move ahead, reaching 18-14 after winning 10 of the 13 points after the interval. However, the Japanese committed a few unforced errors, which helped Sindhu to level par at 19-19.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Sindhu, then sent one to the net to hand over the game point to Okuhara, who pocketed the opening game when the Indian hit long.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>After the change of side, Okuhara struggled to control her lifts and also miscued a few shots as Sindhu led 5-1 when her rival's smash found the net. Sindhu made some sound judgements at the baseline and tried to be patient on the court to extend the lead to 9-3.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>However, Sindhu failed to reach for a low forehand return at forecourt and sent the shuttle wide thrice as Okuhara reached 7-9 before unleashing a down the line smash.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>A net error stopped Okuhara's run as Sindhu eventually held a 11-8 lead at the interval when her rival again went wide.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>At 15-13, another exceptional rally unfolded with Sindhu making the Japanese run to the deep corners and even though Okuhara made some remarkable retrieves she miscued a shot at the forecourt as Sindhu led 16-13.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Okuhara brought more power to her smashes to breach Sindhu's defence and created acute angles with her wrist to reduce the margin to 16-17. Two backhand returns and a block at the net helped Sindhu move to 18-16. An extraordinary net return gave her another point and she grabbed the game point when Okuhara went long.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Not ready to give up, Okuhara fell back on her extraordinary net game to save three game points. Sindhu then won a point by pushing the shuttle at the back of the court.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>What ensued next was a 73-shot long and exhausting rally which Sindhu managed to win when Okuhara's return found the net and she collapsed on the ground, drained completely.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>In the decider, Okuhara opened up a 5-1 lead early on as Sindhu looked a tad exhuasted but some clever returns near the net helped the Indian claw back at 5-5. The momentum shifted again in Indian's favour as she started dominating the rallies and reached the break at 11-9 when Okuhara hit wide.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>After the change of sides, Okuhara erased the deficit with a backhand body smash and a forehand return. Sindhu won another long rally with an onrushing smash but she lost her second video referrel as Okuhara led 13-12.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>They moved neck and neck till 17-17 before the Indian grabbed a 19-17 lead when Okuhara hit wide. The Japanese produced a perfect cross court reverse slice and then unleashed another cross court smash to once again level par.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>A net error from Sindhu handed a match point to Okuhara but the Indian saved it after winning another long rally, following a bad leave at the baseline by Okuhara.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>The Japanese grabbed the match point again when Sindhu found the net and she used it this time with a perfect return on Sindhu's backhand to become the first shuttler from her country to win the World Championship.</div><div><br /></div></div><div>Sindh had reached the final after beating World No 10 Chen Yufei, late last night.</div></div>
<div><div>PV Sindhu's gallant effort to become India's first ever World Champion ended in a heart- wrenching defeat against Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in an epic final, here today.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>In the longest match of the tournament, which tested the physical and mental strength of both the players, Sindhu lost 19-21 22-20 20-22 after battling hard for one hour and 49 minutes.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Their bodies were falling apart as the match progressed but both Sindhu and Okuhara used every ounce of energy left in them to make it an epic contest.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>After closing the second game by winning an incredible 73-shot rally, Sindhu saved one championship point in the decider but it was the Rio Olympic bronze medallist who had the last laugh.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>For India, it still is a historic edition since for the first time country's shuttler are returning with two medals. Saina Nehwal won a bronze yesterday after losing her semifinal.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>India had one silver and four bronze in the World Championships before this edition.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a medal when he took a bronze in the men's singles in 1983 before the women's doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa bagged another bronze in 2011.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Rio Olympic silver medallist Sindhu came into the match with a 3-all head-to-head record against Okuhara. But the Indian had an upper hand in their last two meetings -- Rio Olympics and 2017 Singapore Open.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Sindhu, seeded fourth, was a little sluggish to start with and was 3-5 at one point but she managed to reel off eight points on the trot to grab an 11-5 lead at the break.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>The Indian used her height to good use, retrieving the shuttles quickly and started using her cross court returns to trouble the Japanese.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Sindhu showed good anticipation and used deception well to move to a 13-8 lead but the pint-sized Japanese changed gears and started dictating the rallies. She first clawed back to 14-14 when Sindhu faltered with her return serve before grabbing the lead.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Okuhara continued to move ahead, reaching 18-14 after winning 10 of the 13 points after the interval. However, the Japanese committed a few unforced errors, which helped Sindhu to level par at 19-19.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Sindhu, then sent one to the net to hand over the game point to Okuhara, who pocketed the opening game when the Indian hit long.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>After the change of side, Okuhara struggled to control her lifts and also miscued a few shots as Sindhu led 5-1 when her rival's smash found the net. Sindhu made some sound judgements at the baseline and tried to be patient on the court to extend the lead to 9-3.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>However, Sindhu failed to reach for a low forehand return at forecourt and sent the shuttle wide thrice as Okuhara reached 7-9 before unleashing a down the line smash.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>A net error stopped Okuhara's run as Sindhu eventually held a 11-8 lead at the interval when her rival again went wide.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>At 15-13, another exceptional rally unfolded with Sindhu making the Japanese run to the deep corners and even though Okuhara made some remarkable retrieves she miscued a shot at the forecourt as Sindhu led 16-13.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Okuhara brought more power to her smashes to breach Sindhu's defence and created acute angles with her wrist to reduce the margin to 16-17. Two backhand returns and a block at the net helped Sindhu move to 18-16. An extraordinary net return gave her another point and she grabbed the game point when Okuhara went long.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Not ready to give up, Okuhara fell back on her extraordinary net game to save three game points. Sindhu then won a point by pushing the shuttle at the back of the court.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>What ensued next was a 73-shot long and exhausting rally which Sindhu managed to win when Okuhara's return found the net and she collapsed on the ground, drained completely.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>In the decider, Okuhara opened up a 5-1 lead early on as Sindhu looked a tad exhuasted but some clever returns near the net helped the Indian claw back at 5-5. The momentum shifted again in Indian's favour as she started dominating the rallies and reached the break at 11-9 when Okuhara hit wide.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>After the change of sides, Okuhara erased the deficit with a backhand body smash and a forehand return. Sindhu won another long rally with an onrushing smash but she lost her second video referrel as Okuhara led 13-12.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>They moved neck and neck till 17-17 before the Indian grabbed a 19-17 lead when Okuhara hit wide. The Japanese produced a perfect cross court reverse slice and then unleashed another cross court smash to once again level par.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>A net error from Sindhu handed a match point to Okuhara but the Indian saved it after winning another long rally, following a bad leave at the baseline by Okuhara.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div>The Japanese grabbed the match point again when Sindhu found the net and she used it this time with a perfect return on Sindhu's backhand to become the first shuttler from her country to win the World Championship.</div><div><br /></div></div><div>Sindh had reached the final after beating World No 10 Chen Yufei, late last night.</div></div>