Tokyo 2020, badminton as it happened: Sindhu bags back-to-back Olympic medals, Chen takes gold

MEDAL CEREMONY:

Badminton women’s singles: CHINA CLINCH GOLD! After not finishing on the podium in Rio, Chinese shuttler back on top in the women’s singles. Chen Yufei clinches a thriller to defeat world No 1 Tai Tzu Ying.

Women’s singles final: LONGEST RALLY OF THE MATCH AT MATCH POINT! After Tai saved one match point with a superb slice, Chen Yufei and Tai Tzu Ying play out a 53-shot rally and it is Chen who hangs on to clinch the GOLD.

Women’s singles final: What a shot to play when down match point! The sliced drop to save the first match point.

Women’s singles final: Three gold medal points for Chen Yufei !

Women’s singles final: And what a final! TTY simply not giving up. She is struggling for consistency but every time Chen pushes forward she fight back.

Women’s singles final: Chen is edging ahead in the decider but Tai hanging on! It’s 11-6 to the top seed from China at the final change of ends.

Women’s singles final: TAI TZU YING HAS FORCED THE DECIDER! Brilliant from the world No 1 to step up when Chen was getting close to sealing this win.

Women’s singles final: Time running out for TAI TZU YING. She is trailing by a game and 8-11 in the second.

Vinayakk Mohanarangan: At Rio 2016, she was a starry-eyed youngster (but with reputation) looking to pull off what not many predicted. At Tokyo 2020, the pressure was all on her. The gold isn’t here yet but she delivers in a year that has all been about change. And adapting to it.

REPLUG: From Rio 2016 to Tokyo 2020: For PV Sindhu, it was all about adapting to change

Women’s singles final: TOP SEED CHEN YUFEI IN THE LEAD! Well, well. Tai Tzu Ying will have to take the scenic route if she wants that elusive gold.

Confirmation of Sindhu’s result :

PV SINDHU IS A OLYMPIC GAMES MEDALLIST AGAIN: Here’s a look at the stats.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 21-15 Bingjiao: PV SINDHU HAS DONE IT!!! WHAT A PLAYER!

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 20-15 Bingjiao: FIVE MATCH POINTS!

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 19-15 Bingjiao: Sindhu is close!

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 18-14 Bingjiao: TWO HUGE POINTS FOR SINDHU! First a massive roar as her lift lands in and then a brilliant defensive recovery to clinch the next one.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 16-13 Bingjiao: Such an important point this next one... and it is a bruising rally that goes the Indian’s way! Sindhu injects the pace and forces the error.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 15-13 Bingjiao: Two points back to back for He as she catches Sindhu off guard on her forehand side with pushes to the backcourt.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 14-11 Bingjiao: SINDHU SUPERB! That is TTY-esque. Slice drop crosscourt completely catches He by surprises and she is on the floor trying to retrieve this. A little handy lead restored for the Indian.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 12-11 Bingjiao: Remember this point. Later in the evening. Momentum with He, she almost nailed a superb drop shot but Sindhu gets the lift right and then stays in the point to finish it off with a SUPERB over the head winner down the line.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 11-11 Bingjiao: Two points to He at the restart as Sindhu misjudges the length at the backcourt and then the Chinese’s solid defence helps her out. Sindhu then completely wastes a challenge (might be a tactical one, to break the momentum) as He takes 3 in a row.

Follow India and Great Britain at Tokyo 2020 here

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 11-8 Bingjiao: A long rally goes He’s way after it looked like Sindhu had it under control. Costly error? She recovers again to nail a crosscourt smash and take a slender lead into the interval.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 10-7 Bingjiao: The momentum is shifting toward He reckon the commentators. But then He makes two errors... SO CRUCIAL! As Clark says, what a fighter.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 8-6 Bingjiao: Terrific cross court smash from Sindhu after a good rally. Loud roar. Both players playing at a superb level now as another brilliant rally follows (the stats are not updating for us to bring you the details). This one ends with He sending Sindhu to the floor and then killing the point. On a knife’s edge at the moment!

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 7-5 Bingjiao: Really tight rally that felt important for both players to not lose. Sindhu finishes it off with her best body smash of the day. And once again at 5-6, she brings out a brilliant down the line.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 5-4 Bingjiao: Is He not able to come to terms with the drift and overcompensating? She was looking to her coach for some assistance and immediately seems to have cut out those errors. Clawing her way back.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13, 3-1 Bingjiao: Three shuttles that have been pushed long by He already here. A headstart for Sindhu in the second.

As Sindhu takes game one, the national anthems are done at Oi Hockey Stadium...

Follow men’s hockey quarterfinal between India and Great Britain at Tokyo 2020 here

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 21-13 Bingjiao: FIRST GAME PV SINDHU!! She converts the second point and takes the lead in this bronze medal match.

CORRECTION: Bronze playoff, Sindhu 20-12 Bingjiao: Another patient rally and the pushes that worked so well for He early on are going long. Superb awareness at the net by Sindhu next up and she has EIGHT GAME POINTs.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 18-11 Bingjiao: SUPERB DEFENCE SINDHU! The body smash has been an issue for Sindhu in the past but she has clearly been working on that. We saw earlier too. She turns a smash at her into a position of advantage and kills the rally.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 17-11 Bingjiao: Sindhu needs to watch for the errors here, her game has largely been clean so far but she net a rather simple overhead there. Recovers well to take the next point.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 16-10 Bingjiao: A clever return of serve followed by a straight smash helps Sindhu get the serve back and keep in control. Good point next up, patiently looking for the chance to attack by pushing He back. The Chinese gets the serve back with a smash into the open court

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 14-8 Bingjiao: SINDHU starts really well post the break as well and is dictating the tempo now. Watch how much more she is in control from the center of the court. No scampering. She needs to keep this going, the first game is really crucial.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 11-8 Bingjiao: Another round-the-head straight smash goes well for Sindhu and she has the slender lead at the break. But this is not going to be easy, in case it was already clear before the math.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 10-8 Bingjiao: Sindhu has a look of frustration on her face after getting a drop shot right forcing an error. IT feels like she knows she can be better here. A mad scramble at 8-9 follows with both players scurrying around and Sindhu finishes with a down the line smash! Phew.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 8-6 Bingjiao: A quiet fist bump from Sindhu to make it 6-6 after another piece of net brilliance by He in the previous point. And that is followed by the first real roars by the Sindhu as He gets a push wrong finally and then nets a smash,

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 5-5 Bingjiao: OH ANOTHER BRILLIANT RALLY! Sindhu is moving well front and back but He is dictating the tempo from a central position. The point ends with a brilliant push to the backcourt as He grows into this. We have had a 30-plus shot rally and then now a 41-shot rally too! Another brilliant push to the backcourt. She has come storming back

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 4-2 Bingjiao: A terrific rally from both players as Frost talks about how technically strong He is... the point ends with a piece of brilliance at the net from the Chinese.

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 4-0 Bingjiao: Sindhu takes a quick second point as He uses up a review early and then another long-ish rally follows, that is followed by a crosscourt smash winner. Morten Frost, on air, approves.Fast start by Sindhu!

Bronze playoff, Sindhu 1-0 Bingjiao: The first point is a 22 shot rally for 27 seconds and a patient Sindhu seals it with a winner. Nerves settled down yet?

Badminton women’s singles, bronze playoff: He to serve. We are set.

Badminton women’s singles, bronze playoff: Sindhu at Tokyo 2020 so far

Badminton women’s singles: Here’s a look at the head to head. He Bingjiao has the upper hand overall and has even won four out of the last 5 meetings. Sindhu won the most recent meeting in 2019 at the World Tour Finals. They haven’t met at the big events (Worlds or Olympics or All England) before.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the bronze medal match between India’s PV Sindhu and China’s He Bingjiao at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Sindhu, who won the silver medal at the Rio Games in 2016, lost in straight games against world No 1 Tai Tzu Ying on Saturday. The 26-year-old can, however, make it back-to-back Olympic medals if she defeats He Bingjiao in the third place play-off at Musashino Forest Plaza on Sunday.

Also read: Against gifted Tai Tzu Ying, PV Sindhu’s tactical errors proved costly