Syed Modi International: Gallant PV Sindhu loses in singles final

India’s PV Sindhu put up a gallant fight against Indonesia’s Lindaweni Fanetri before going down 15-21, 21-18, 18-21 in the women’s singles final of the Shaheed Dr. K.L. Garg – Syed Modi International Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament in Lucknow on Sunday.

PV Sindhu started proceedings on a sluggish note in the opening game and appeared to be overawed by the big occasion (youngster playing in her first Grand Prix final).

The gangling Hyderabad girl committed a plethora of unforced errors, either hitting the net with her smashes or playing her shots long.

To be honest, Fanetri didn’t really have to earn her points; Sindhu merely gifted it to her on a platter through her error-stricken game.

The world number 33 Indonesian raced to a 12-6 lead even as Sindhu struggled to find her bearings. Fanetri benefited from Sindhu’s inability to tighten her game and marched ahead to a 19-11 lead before going on to close out the first game at 21-15.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and Sindhu was sailing in pretty much the similar boat. The Indian needed to make a robust start in the second game to stay in the contest and she did just that coming up with a potent crosscourt smash to win her first point and going on to rattle up a 11-4 lead.

Fanetri clawed her way back with some solid shuttle play, first narrowing the gap to 8-12 and later to 15-16 to make in an absorbing tussle.

The 17-year-old Indian played the pressure points brilliantly and pocketed the second game at 21-18 to level the issue.

It was a battle of attrition in the decider as both players gave nothing away.

Fanetri held a slender 11-10 lead at the halfway mark before the Indonesian bagged four crucial points to lead 15-12.

Sindhu rebounded to take a 17-16 lead before Fanetri showed nerves of steel to not only level the scores at 17-17 but also win three key points to wrap up the match at 21-18.