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Sindhu doesn't make a mistake this time and closes it out 21-17.
Can the Indian close out the match now?
Zhang tried her best to extract errors from Sindhu by prolonging the rallies. But in the end, she is the one who conceded errors and lets Sindhu go up, 19-16
Sindhu is now in total control of the game and she has built a 16-12 lead. But she cannot afford to relax and let a repeat of the second game.
Sindhu has regrouped just in time to steer this game her way. At the interval, she leads 11-9
Once more, the Indian is letting this slip away after building a lead. Zhang is now looking confident after taking the last three points for 9-8
Sindhu inched ahead 8-6 but could not hold on to the lead. Zhang is back in this, 8-8
The game continues in the same fashion after some long rallies. They are all even at 6-6
The early stages of the decider continue to be competitive and it is tough to choose one. They are now locked at 5-5
And then, Sindhu herself gets a chance to challenge and wins the game 22-20.
Sindhu gets another game point on a questionable call where Zhang was deemed too late to challenge.
Her shot finds the net and they are back at 20-20.
Sindhu seems to have found the missing spark. Body language looks fired up. She levels at 19-19 and gets a game point at 20-19
An excellent angular smash and Sindhu is now at 18-19
Zhang now even takes a lead of 18-16. Sindhu cannot afford to lose any more points if she wants a win.
And she levels it 16-16. What a turnaround!
Zhang has made a superb comeback to trail by just one point now, 15-16
Suddenly, this is all going the American's way. Zhang trails, 12-15
Zhang, however, has cut down the deficit to just five points as she now trails 10-15. Time for Sindhu to reassert her supremacy!
This is ruthless domination from the Rio medallist. She is way ahead now, 15-7
Sindhu has built a nine-point gap between herself and Zhang. Up now 13-4
This is devastating display from Sindhu, the kind of game she is known to put up at the elite events. The Indian is ahead, 11-2
Finally Zhang is on the board at 1-8
Within seconds, the Indian has surged to a whopping 8-0 lead.
GAME 2
Sindhu knows she has to cut down on her errors and she has started the second game in a commanding fashion, leading 4-0.
Sindhu, however, could not stop her in-form rival from taking the first game, 21-18, who was very impressive towards the end of the set.
As expected, the Indian does indeed fight back and she now makes it even at 18-18
The business end of the game is here and Sindhu needs to be very careful now. Zhang has run away to lead 18-16.
The Indian too is not giving up as she made it 15-15 very soon. But Zhang has come here to fight and once more, it is the American who surges ahead, 16-15
This is tremendous show of guts from Zhang who not only came back to level 13-13 but even continued the string of points to go up, 15-13
Sindhu gets a chance to extend her lead and makes it, 13-10
Zhang is fighting back on resumption and she has now reduced the deficit to just two points - 9-11
The Olympic medallist takes an 11-7 lead at the interval.
Sindhu has finally broken free from the tie thanks to Zhang's erroneous game and she now leads 10-7
A few errors are creeping up into the Indian's game in the early stages of the this set and they are back to being level at 6-6
Sindhu's shot lands long and the American is ahead, 5-4.
With some great attacking display, Zhang levels it, 3-3
Sindhu takes a slender lead of 2-1.
The match is about to begin.
The preceding doubles match has just gone the distance, so we have to wait a bit more for this match.
Good morning and welcome to the Sportskeeda liveblog of the China Open Superseries Premier. Seventh seed PV Sindhu has been in sizzling form and thoroughly dominated her first round match on Wednesday.
She is now the only Indian left in women's singles following the exit of former champion Saina Nehwal. Sindhu now faces the World No. 16 Beiwen Zhang of the USA against whom the Indian leads 2-0. But the Rio Olympic silver medallist needs to be careful as Zhang has been impressive lately and has even won the Dutch Open title, besides reaching the final of the French Open Superseries.
Final score: PV Sindhu WINS 18-21, 22-20, 21-17 and is through to the quarter-finals.