Zee Media Bureau/Suyash Srivastava
Bangalore: Awadhe Warriors brother-sister pair of Markis Kido and Pia Bernadeth won the crucial fifth match and the tie 3-2 against Mumbai Masters in the second semi-final of the Indian Badminton League at Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium on Thursday.
The result of the second semis went into the fifth match where the Awadhe Warriors pair, one of the best in the tournament, edged past the Russian pair in straight sets 21-19, 21-15.
Earlier in the day, World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei got Mumbai Masters to a great start in the tie as he defeated Awadhe Warriors’ RMV Gurusai Dutt 21-15, 21-7.
In the women’s singles match, rising Indian shuttler PV Sindhu defeated Tine Baun in straight sets 21-16, 21-13. With this win, the 18-year-old also levelled the tie at 1-1.
This was Sindhu`s second victory against Baun in the tournament after she had defeated the Russian in the league stage.
In men’s doubles, Awadhe Warriors’ Markis Kido and Mathias Boe convincingly won their match against Sumeeth Reddy and Pranav Chopra 21-15, 21-10. With this win, Awadhe Warriors led the tie 2-1.
In the second men’s singles, K Srikanth, who has been brilliant right throughout the tournament couldn’t win against Vladimir Ivanov, as the Russian won the intense match 21-20, 21-19.
Ivanov, who is basically a doubles player, was quicker at the nets as compared to the 20-year-old Indian. Srikanth was looking nervous in the second game while Ivanov played freely and won the must-win match for Mumbai Masters. The tie was levelled at 2-2 and it was all to be decided in the fifth match, the mixed doubles.
Just before the match, Baun received some medical treatment while Ivanov too asked for a little extra time as he was appearing in his second consecutive match. The Awadhe Warriors pair dominated the proceedings from the first point, targeting the unfit Baun and finally emerged victorious.
Awadhe Warriors will now play the final against Hyderabad Hotshots, and all eyes would be once again on the key women’s singles match between Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu.
Hyderabad Hotshots had pummelled Pune Pistons 3-0 on their home ground to seal their berth for the finals to be played in Mumbai on August 31.
