Madrid Spain Mastes 2023: For the first time this season, PV Sindhu makes it to the tour finals.
PV Sindhu defeated Yeo Jia Min of Singapore 24-22, 22-20 to advance to her first BWF tour final. In the Super 300 tournament final on Sunday, she might take on her rival and close friend Carolina Marin.
Ankush Pandey
PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, secured her spot in the title match of the Madrid Spain Masters Super 300 tournament, putting an end to her wait for a final appearance on the BWF tour. On Saturday, April 1, Sindhu triumphed over a formidable opponent in a sensational semi-final matchup with Yeo Jia Min of Singapore.
Sindhu defeated Jia Min in three straight games after 48 minutes, but the victory was not easy. Sindhu's opponent, ranked 33, was leading 20-15 and faced as many as 5 game points. However, Sindhu compelled a stunning comeback and saved another game point to win the first game 24-22.
Sindhu was leading 11-6 in the middle of the second game after the escape in the first game. Sindhu had 2 match focuses however it was saved by Jia Min who didn't go down easily.
Sindhu wrapped up the match 24-22, 22-20 and let out a noisy thunder as she was tried completely by her lower-positioned rival.
In the BWF women's singles charts, Sindhu dropped out of the top 10 for the first time since 2016 and is likely to face Carolina Marin, a Rio Olympic gold medalist. In the other semi-final, the fifth-seed Gregoria Mariska was scheduled to face the local favorite.
If the Spaniard advances to the final, Sindhu will face Marin for the second time this year. Sindhu lost in straight games in the first round of the Malaysia Open in their first meeting. Marin has not defeated Sindhu on the tour since June 2018 and has a negative head-to-head record of 5-10 against Sindhu.
When PV Sindhu reached the Singapore Open final in July, it was her first tour final. She won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in August, but the star shuttler was out for more than five months with a stress fracture in her left foot. Sindhu's rebound to the visit had been a long way from great as the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist experienced early exits, including at India Open and All Britain Open Titles.
After losing in the first round three times in a row, Sindhu made it to the Swiss Open second round last month. However, the star shuttler has performed better in Madrid, making it to the tournament's final.
