Badminton Asia Championships 2018, Women's Singles, 2nd Round: Saina Nehwal vs Gao Fangjie, Live Match Updates

Nehwal def Fangjie 21-18, 21-8 in 40 minutes to enter QFs.

Updated: 26 April 2018 13:22 IST - Published: April, 26 2018 11:33 AM IST

That's it for now!

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda for all updates from the Badminton Asia Championships.

After that tight first game, it was a masterclass from the former World No. 1. This will surely increase her confidence level further.

Final score: Nehwal def Fangjie 21-18, 21-8 in 40 minutes to enter QFs.

And Saina has won!!!!!!!

Gao saves one

13 match points for Saina!!!!!!!

And 19-7 it is!!

Four more points for the CWG gold medallist!

Finish line in sight!

18-7

It's 14-6 to Saina as she regains control after a brief Gao fightback

Gao is trying to prolong the rallies in order to tire Saina out!

She gets a point and trails 4-12

12-3 for Saina after the break

Saina goes into the break with a lead of 11-3

It's 9-3 to Nehwal presently.

3 quick points go Saina's way as she races ahead to 8-3

Saina leads 5-3

Saina now breaks free from the tie to go up to 4-2

And it's 2-2

It's 1-1 in Game 2

Saina pockets the first game 21-18

Gao saves one!

Saina has three game points!

20-17

But she can't hold off Gao, who comes back to 17-18

It's 18-15 to Saina as she steadily increases her lead

Saina gets a couple of crucial points to leap ahead to 16-14

Still not much to choose between the two.

14-14

It continues to be even.

13-13

Saina has levelled matters!

12-12

And now by one point!

11-12

Saina is trying her best to come back here.

She now trails Gao by just 2 points!

10-12

Gao goes into the break with an 11-7 lead

Saina is trying to fight back here as she gets a couple of points.

7-10

Saina trails 5-9

The gap between them is widening further.

Gao now has an 8-4 advantage

And Gao looks to be still in control of the early proceedings.

Gao 6-3

The determined Gao imposes her attacking game to get two points.

Gao 4-3

Saina keeps her nose in front as she goes up to 3-2

Nehwal takes a 2-1 lead

And we are off!

Good afternoon! The players are on court now and they are warming up.

The 38th edition of the Asia Badminton Championships is currently underway in China. The tournament, which is taking place at the Wuhan Sports Centre Gymnasium, will pay out a total prize money of 350,000 dollars and will award the participants with valuable points for their respective BWF rankings.

2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Saina Nehwal will take on China's Gao Fangjie in the second round of the Asia Badminton Championship. The winner of this match will face South Korea's Lee Jang-Mi in the quarterfinal.

Nehwal beat Singapore's Yeo Jia Min in the first round by a score of 21-12, 21-9. Saina's second-round opponent Gao Fangjie beat seed five, Nozomi Okuhara 21-15, 23-21 in the first round. She will look to build upon her Commonwealth Games gold medal, which came against compatriot Sindhu, as she goes up against an in-form Gao.

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