Indonesia Masters 2018, Quarter-final: Saina Nehwal vs PV Sindhu, Live Match Updates

Nehwal def Sindhu 21-13, 21-19 to enter SFs

Updated: 26 January 2018 14:20 IST - Published: 26 January 2018 11:27 IST

That's it from all of us at Sportskeeda for now. Thanks for staying with us.

Do join us later in the day when we bring you live coverage of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty's quarter-final match.

Goodbye!

That was a great game of badminton and an absolutely memorable way of celebrating Republic Day for Indian fans!

Let us hope this inspires Saina to try and get the title!

As for Sindhu, she did try in the second game and looked in control for quite some time as she played fast and aggressive points. But she just allowed Saina to come back and play a brilliant tactical game of offense and defense that ultimately broke down Sindhu. And whatever little chances Sindhu had, she squandered them all due to errors.

WHAT A BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE THAT WAS FROM SAINA NEHWAL!!!!! That performance surely validates the fact that she IS WELL AND TRULY BACK!!!!!

Moving better, thinking better and most importantly, she is employing all the right tactics to blunt an attacking player's aggressive game!

This will surely stand her in good stead as the season progresses!

Final score: Nehwal def Sindhu 21-13, 21-19 to enter SFs

But on the third match point, Sindhu SENDS THE SHUTTLE LONG!

SAINA WINS!

And she saves another match point

19-20

Great backhand volley from the 2nd seed!

18-20

THREE MATCH POINTS FOR SAINA

20-17

And another point to Sindhu

17-19

19-16 now

Can Sindhu come back?

Saina's defence is super strong and her anticipating skills are just excellent at the moment!

Up 19-15

Sindhu pulls one back

15-17

BIG 'COME ON' FROM SAINA!

She has outwitted Sindhu again!!!!!

17-14

Sindhu is just error-prone now

Trails 14-16

Change of shuttle....can that help Sindhu?

WHAT A RALLY! BOTH LADIES BENDING OVER!

Sindhu ends with a forehand into the net!

15-14 to Saina

LOOK AT THAT FROM SAINA!

Brilliant rush to the net to finish with a powerful smash and she is so, so pumped up!

14-13 to Saina

But she keeps the court open for Sindhu's forehand crosscourt smash!

13-13

Saina takes the lead!

13-12

Saina targeting smashes right at Sindhu's body whenever she is getting the chance

12-12

Sindhu having to use her backhands a lot and that is NEVER EVER GOOD FOR SINDHU

It is all even

11-11

This is way too close now!

What a thrilling second game!

But Sindhu manages to take a mini lead of 11-10 at the mid-game interval!

Service return error from Sindhu

10-10

And yet another on the forehand side

And Saina now trails by a point!

9-10

One down the line winner and Saina says 'Come on!'

She can feel she is just starting to do the right things!

8-10

And it is a THREE-POINT GAP!

7-10

Can Saina come back?

Sindhu up to 10-6

Saina relying more on her netgame now to take the game away from Sindhu....but she can't keep her errors at bay in her urgency.

Backhand drop from Saina and she makes it 5-9

It's 8-4 to the World No. 3

7-3 to Sindhu

Looks in control now

Saina missing the down the line shots as well

3-6

And Saina falls apart now!

Trails 3-5

Furious pace and that is exactly what you expect from Sindhu after she lost the first game!

Lob and she makes it 3-3

Saina comes up with a big body smash!

3-2

Sindhu trying to increase the pace but Saina still has the slender advantage

2-1

1-0 to Saina

But they are changing sides now. Will that bring a change of fortunes?

Let's find out in Game 2.

Saina plays absolutely tactically when she meets Sindhu....she just knows how to keep Sindhu away from playing her naturally aggressive game.

And Sindhu struggles a lot due to that.

Another forehand smash right into the net from Sindhu!

First game to Saina

21-13

SEVEN GAME POINTS TO SAINA

20-13

And she now trails 13-18

Sindhu replies with a pinpoint crosscourt smash off her backhand!

12-18

One smash from Sindhu makes it 11-18

Again the backhand of Sindhu lets her down

10-17

And Saina makes the mistake of feeding to Sindhu's pace...Sindhu loves pace

Sindhu gets a point...trails 10-15

And she surges to 15-9

Yet another error from the 2nd seed!

Saina up 14-9