We are moments away from the start of the match. As I said earlier, Saina leads the head-to-head 4-2 but its a new days and the Indian needs to be on top of her game as always against a tough opponent.
Marin to serve.
Seems like a real tight opening point this one.
The Spaniard wins ir.1-0 in her favour.
2-0 in favour Marin.
Good start for the world champion, She leads 3-0
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Marin moves forward to take a 4-2 lead.
It is 5-2 in favour of Marin.
Saina has cut the lead to 1. Trails 4-5.
Its 5-5.
Marin back in front here. Leads 6-5.
Its 6-6 as Saina breaks back.
Saina leads 7-6. Can she capitalise now?
No she can’t. Its 7-7.
Four straight points for the World champion. Marin leads Saina 11-7 at the break in the opening game.
The Indian needs a few quick points after the break or this game could run away from her.
Marin leads 13-9.
Saina trails 10-14.
Saina clawing her way back., Its 13-14
We are back on level terms. Its 14-14.
Saina looking good here. Leads 16-14.
Its 16-16.
Vital phase in this game in progress.
Saina in front.17-16
Saina three points away from sealing the opening game.
19-16.
19-18 now. Marin has closed the gap to one.
Its 19-19
Game point for Saina.
And Marin equalises. 20-20.
Marin in front.21-20
And Carolina Marin wins a pulsating opening game 24-22.
Saina had two chances to win the game, but she squandered both of them and faces a tough task now.
We are underway in Game 2.
Marin leads 2-1
She has taken the upper hand once again. Leads 4-2.
Saina on the backfoot in the second game. Trails 3-6.
Marin leads 7-5.
Marin continues to put a lot of pressure on the Indian.
At the interval in the second game, Carolina Marin leads Saina Nehwal 11-5.
It has been a very one-sided second game thus far. Can Saina turn it around after the break?
Saina trails 7-13.
Gap cut to 4. 9-13.
Things are going downhill for the Indian. She trails Marin 9-15.
Marin just 4 points away from a win.
18-11.
Thats it. Carolina Marin beats Saina Nehwal 24-22 21-11 to move into the semifinals of the Indonesia Superseries Premier.
Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the marquee quarterfinal clash at the 2016 Indonesia Superseries Premier between World No.1 and top seed Carolina Marin and World No.8 Saina Nehwal, being played at the Istora Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
It goes without saying that it is perhaps the most anticipated clash of the day as the two World Championships finalists from 2015,battle it out to see who progresses through to the semifinals of the competition. You can catch all the LIVE updates here.
For Saina, it has been an up-and-down tournament thus far. The 26-year-old had to battle her way out of a hole in her 1st round match against Pai Yu Po to eventually clinch it in three games and then against Fitraini Fitraini yesterday, had a very easy match, winning in straight games to qualify for the final 8 stage of the competition.
On the other hand, Marin has had a more comfortable route into the quarters, defeating both her opponents- Hera Desi and Akane Yamaguchi- in straight games in the first and second round to progress through.
The head-to-head between the two reads as 4-2 in favour of Saina. The last meeting was at the Dubai Superseries Finals in December last year, when Indian, despite not being 100% fit, pulled off a terrific three-game win over the Spaniard, that helped her stay alive in the competition.
This, incidentally, will be the 1st time that these two players will be meeting at the quarterfinal stage of any competition. Who will come out on top in this fixture? Only time will tell.
