Saina Nehwal vs Akane Yamaguchi Live Score and Commentary Malaysia Open First Round

Akane Yamaguchi beats Saina Nehwal, 19-21, 21-13, 21-15

Updated: 05 April 2017 13:43 IST - Published: 05 April 2017 12:39 IST

Saina obviously needs a lot of work mentally to get back to where she was.

FINAL SCORE: Akane Yamaguchi beats Saina Nehwal, 19-21, 21-13, 21-15

Yamaguchi wins it, 21-15

FIVE match points for Yamaguchi at 20-15

2 points for the Indian now....still trails 15-18

18-13 for Yamaguchi

16-13 for Yamaguchi....time is running out for Nehwal!

It is now 15-13 for the fourth seed.

In a mirror image of the second game, the Japanese is building on her lead again as Saina's game seems to have gone quiet for a while....14-12.

Now the Japanese inches ahead to 13-12.

It is 12-12....the rallies have definitely become longer and more gruelling.

3 points on the trot for the Indian....12-11.

After the break, a pumped-up Saina comes back to even the game, 11-11

Yamaguchi pockets two points to build an 11-9 lead at half-time.

And it is 9-9 now

Saina now trails 8-9....tight, tight contest

2 points on the trot for Saina to cut the lead to 7-8.

And she extends the lead to 8-5.

The diminutive Japanese is standing tall at the moment....she leads 7-5.

The two are tied at 5-5

Saina LEVELS at 4-4. Can she continue now?

It's four straight points for the Japanese as she leads 4-2 now.

Will it be a repeat of the second game or has Saina learnt from her mistakes?

And just like the previous games, Yamaguchi has come back to make it 2-2.

THIRD GAME

Saina opens up a 2-0 lead.

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