Here we go then. We are about to get underway in the Women’s Singles final.
It will be Saina to serve.
Wide from Sun. Saina 1-0
1-1
Error at the net makes it 2-1 for Sun.
Good,long hit from Saina lands in. 2-2
Excellent cross court drop shot from Saina. 3-2
Good start for Saina. Leads 4-2
Thats IN from Sun. Its 4-4.
Wide from Saina there. She trails 4-6.
Hits her own net and now trails by 3. 4-7.
Not the best of starts now. Trails 4-8
Wide from Saina again. Trails 4-9.
There is great crowd support for the Indian at the venue.
Sun aims the shot at Saina’s body and get the point. 10-5
At the interval in the opening game, Sun leads Saina 11-6
11-7
Wide from Sun. 8-11
Saina has challenged the call. It has been called IN. And it is IN.
This doesn’t look good for the Indian. She trails 9-15
Lovely play from the Indian on that occasion. 10-15.
Saina’s judgement not the greatest on that occasion. 16-10
9 game point opportunities for Sun.20-11.
Thats the opening game to Sun. 21-11
The opening few points in the second game will be absolutely vital for Saina. Can she make a comeback now?
Not a great start for the Indian.
1-1
Sun ends a great rally with a lovely cross-court drop shot. 2-2
Wide from Sun.3-3
Wide again. Saina leads 4-3.
Smash aimed at Saina’s body. Sun leads 5-4
More of that required from Saina. Smash down the line. 5-6
6-6.
An Unnecessary challenge from Saina there. Trails 7-8
At the interval in the second game, Saina leads Sun 11-8
Lead cut to 1. 11-10
Error at the net from Sun makes it 13-11
Saina has ensured that Sun goes deep into the rear court, and then is forced to come forward. She leads 15-12.
Superb from the Indian. 16-12
Just wide from Saina there. 17-13
18-13
Saina leads 19-14
6 game point opportunities from Saina
That's the game for Saina. 21-14 Its 1-1 and we head into a decider.
1-1.
2-1 in favour of Saina.
Good hit from Sun. 3-2.
Error at the net makes it 4-3 for Saina.
Saina leads 6-4.
Lead cut to one. 5-6.
Lovely top-to-down hit from Saina. 7-5.
That looks IN from Sun. It has been called OUT. She has challenged it. It is IN. 8-6.
Its 7-8 now.
We have a game on here folks. Back level at 8-8
Sun leads now. 9-8
Sun in front by 2 with that down the line hit. Leads 10-8.
That's called IN. Looks wide. And it is wide. 10-9.
At the interval in the decider, Saina leads 11-10
Wide from Sun. Saina leads 14-11
Superb down the line from Saina. 15-13
Saina 5 points away from a win. 16-14.
18-14.
Sun not giving in one bit. 18-16
Long from Sun.
Match points have arrived for Saina.
Sun saves two.
Thats it. Saina wins the decider to lift the title.
Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Women’s Singles final of the 2016 Australian Open Superseries between India’s Saina Nehwal and China’s Sun Yu. It has an enthralling five days of action that has seen several thrilling matches, some unforgettable upsets and some one-sided contests and end of it, only two players remain, who will now fight it out for top prize at the Sports Centre in Sydney.
Both players have had somewhat contrasting routes to the final. On one hand, Sun has defeated the likes of Nozomi Okuhara(1st round) and reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui(Semifinal), Saina has got the better of Ratchanak Intanon(quarterfinal) and Wang Yihan(semifinal), en route to the final.
The head-to-head between the two reads 5-1 in favour of Saina, with the Indian, having won the previous 5 meetings, including a triumph at the Australian Open in 2015. Sun’s sole win over the Indian came in 2013, when she beat at the China in three games.
Interestingly, 5 out of the 6 matches between Saina and Sun have gone to three games and if it does go that far today then we would have certainly witnessed a great final. The Indian is chasing a 10th Superseries title while the Chinese a second. Who will come out trumps? Only time will tell.
