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In a blockbuster meeting between two heavyweights of the badminton world, PV Sindhu and Ratchanok Intanon will square off in the semi-finals of the Indonesia Open in Bali on Saturday.
The two have had contrasting paths to the last four of this prestigious Super 1000 tournament. Second seed and former World No. 1 Intanon has had it easier of the two. The Thai hasn't dropped a game in three matches so far in Bali this week, dispatching Kim Gaeun, Pai Yu Po and Asaka Takahashi with consummate ease.
Sindhu, on the other hand, had to sweat hard to book her place in the semifinals of the Indonesia Open. The 2019 runner-up conceded a game to each of Aya Ohori in the first round and Sim Yujin in the quarterfinals. The only time she notched up a straight-game win was in the second round when she beat the 26th-ranked Yvonne Li.
Clearly the former world champion Intanon has looked more confident of the two on the court this week. But one could argue that Sindhu has been battle-tested and that could work in her favor should the match get prolonged.
This is the third consecutive semifinal for the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist while Intanon has struggled for the past few weeks. The Indonesia Open has given the Thai her first semifinal since the All England Open in March.
In fact, Intanon couldn't even reach the quarterfinals in her last couple of tournaments at the SaarLorLux Open and the Indonesia Masters.
Sindhu will thus be arriving in this much-awaited face-off with a lot of momentum. Unless she is tired from the marathons she played this week, the world champion will hope to draw inspiration from her hardfought wins when she takes the court against Intanon.
With her guile and finesse, Intanon has always presented a challenge Sindhu doesn't usually enjoy. The World No. 8 has the ability to absorb Sindhu's pace and neutralize her power game with her variety.
Intanon already got the better of Sindhu twice this year in January without dropping a game. It was too early in the season and the Indian wasn't up to the task.
But, now deep into the season, Sindhu will hope she is better prepared to tackle such a tricky opponent. The World No. 7 will look back on her 2018 BWF World Tour Finals performance, where she used her power game smartly and effectively to run away to a 21-16, 25-23 win.
The two-time Olympic medalist will need to take a cue from that display and assert her supremacy right from the start by not allowing Intanon to settle into the match.
Indonesia Open 2021: Match details
Fixture: (3) PV Sindhu vs (2) Ratchanok Intanon
Head-to-head: Ratchanok Intanon leads PV Sindhu 6-4 in the head-to-head, having beaten the Indian 21-18, 21-13 in their last meeting at the BWF World Tour Finals 2020 in January this year.
Date: 27 November 2021
Time: Approx 1:30 pm local time, 11:00 am IST
Tournament: SimInvest Indonesia Open 2021
Round: Semifinals
Venue: Bali, Indonesia
Category: BWF World Tour Super 1000
Prize money: $850,000
Indonesia Open 2021: TV schedule
The Indonesia Open 2021 is being live telecast on the Star Sports 3 & Star Sports 2 HD TV channels.
Indonesia Open 2021: Live streaming details
The Indonesia Open 2021 can be live-streamed on the Disney+Hotstar app.
