Indian shuttlers had a mixed day in office at the BWF World Tour Finals with PV Sindhu registering a convincing win over Akane Yamaguchi while Sameer Verma going down rather easily against world champion Kenta Momota in Guangzhou on Wednesday.
Sindhu, drawn into the group of death at the BWF World Tour finals along with Tai Tzu Ying and Beiwen Zhang, started her campaign with a 24-22, 21-15 win over Akane Yamaguchi while Verma went down 18-21, 6-21 agaisnt Momota.
Sindhu was in trouble initially as Yamaguchi raced to a 11-6 lead. The Japanese held on to the lead till 17-13 before Sindhu fought back superbly to take the hard-fought game 24-22.
The two were involved in long rallies in the second and it was Yamaguchi again with a slender lead at the half-way mark in the game, up 11-10. Sindhu had other ideas as she won eight straight points to take the score to 18-11.
Yamaguchi managed to save a match point but it wasn’t enough as Sindhu took the game 21-15 and the match with it.
Later on the same court, it was always going to be tough for Verma against the rampaging Momota who streaked into a 11-4 lead. Verma fought back well and held his own to save four game points but it was the Japanese who prevailed 21-18.
The second was easier for Momota who brushed aside Verma, taking the game 21-6 in a one-sided display.