Carolina Marin and PV Sindhu set for pivotal group finale showdown in Dubai

PV Sindhu fell in her second match at the Dubai World Superseries Finals on Thursday night, meaning her match with Marin on Friday could see one of the two reach the semis.

PV Sindhu shown in action against Sun Yu on Thursday at the Dubai World Superseries Finals. Francois Nel / Getty Images / December 15, 2016

DUBAI // Carolina Marin and PV Sindhu, the two finalists at the Rio Olympics, will renew their rivalry on Friday night at the Hamdan Sports Complex, with a possible ticket to the semis of the Dubai World Superseries Finals at stake, or an early flight home.

China’s Sun Yu, who had started her campaign with a victory over Olympic champion Marin on the opening day, defeated Sindhu 21-15, 21-17 on Thursday night to virtually assure herself of one of the two semi-final berths from Group B of the women’s singles category, but the group is still wide open.

Akane Yamaguchi, who had lost to Sindhu on the opening day, bounced back with a stunning 18-21, 21-17, 21-14 win over Marin late Thursday to put herself in the frame for a semi-final. The Japanese plays Sun in her final group game, while Sindhu will take on Marin with, mathematically, all four still in contention for the two semi-final spots from the group.

If Sindhu beats Marin and Yamaguchi wins her final group match, then there will be a three-way tie between Sun, Yamaguchi and Sindhu on two wins apiece, and then the games and points will come into play. If Marin wins her match and Yamaguchi loses, then there is a three-way tie between Sindhu, Marin and Yamaguchi behind Sun, on one win apiece, and the second semi-finalist will be decided on games and points won.

Marin, the world No 2, will be favourite heading into the match against Sindhu, leading their head-to-head 5-3; she is up 5-1 in their six most recent clashes. Sun leads Yamaguchi 2-1 in head-to-head.

“Overall, I feel a little bad about today, but I need bounce back for tomorrow’s match,” said Sindhu, the world No 10. “There is no pressure. It’s a crucial game and I just have to give my best and play my game.”

In Group A, Sung Ji-hyun and Tai Tzu-ying won their earlier matches, against He Bingjiao and Ratchanok Intanon respectively. It clinched the group’s semi-final places for Sung and Tai, after they also both won on Wednesday.

In the men’s singles action, Denmark’s Jan O Jorgensen, who topped the Superseries ranking, has confirmed his place in the last four with another facile win, defeating Germany’s Marc Zwiebler 21-18, 21-10 in a mere 37 minutes.

“Two good wins, that’s what I hoped for,” said Jorgensen, who had started his campaign with a 21-8, 21-15 win over Hong Kong’s Hu Yun on the opening day. “I’ve played Marc a lot of times, we know each other so well. It’s been a pleasure competing against him since I was young. He’s one of the guys I’ll remember when I’m an old man.”

Jorgensen will meet China’s Tian Houwei in his final group match on Friday, with the top spot in Group A at stake. Tian is also through to the knockout stages having beaten Hu 21-19, 13-21, 21-7 for his second win in two matches.

In Group B, Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, silver medallist at the Rio Olympics, kept his hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals alive with a 21-15, 22-20 win over Angus Ng of Hong Kong. In the other match of the group, Korea’s Son Wan-ho rallied from 4-10 in the third game to beat Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen 21-19, 14-21, 21-18.

Axelsen, bronze medallist at the Rio Olympics, meets Lee in the final in their final group match on Friday, and the winner of that clash will go through to the semis.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport