Asian Series tournaments - Nov/Dec. 16 (China,Hong Kong,Macau,Korea)

[sameerph]

Yes, wonderful effort by Sindhu to beat the Chinese in the final and win her first super series title. Turned out to be a disastrous tournament for Chinese. Jan O Jorgensen beat Chen Long in mens singles final and the Chinese pairs also lost in the finals of womens doubles and mixed doubles.

[Prashant]

This is an excellent achievement, kudos to Sindhu who clearly does not have any form of Olympic hangover. I am hoping 2017 is a year where she totally dominates.

[gbelday]

Bamang Tago, manager of the Indian contingent. He is the chief of the Arunachal Badminton Association.

How can they deny a visa to the coach? Can India file a protest anywhere? We should have withdrawn all our players from this tournament in protest. It's kind of ridiculous.

[Tolamu]

The Chinese are claiming Arunachal as their territory. There were instances where they are issuing pinned visas or something like that to Arunachalis instead of the regular visa.

[gbelday]

Yes, I understand the politics behind it but we shouldn't surrender so meekly.

[prasen9]

I think a better reply was Sindhu going there and vanquishing them.

[ssp]

Pathetic behavior from the Chinese.

Well done to Sindhu for winning the title and rubbing their noses in the dirt!

[gbelday]

I think a better reply was Sindhu going there and vanquishing them.

Yeah, absolutely. But then again, Prannoy and Ajay may have done better with a coach around them. Glad that Sindhu won! Nothing better than beating the Chinese on their turf.

[prashanthm]

Fantastic win for Sindhu.....

[RohitG]

She should have dedicated the victory to the Arunachali coach in front of the Chinese. Reply politics with your own. That could have taught them a lesson

[sameerph]

Hongkong super series tournament starts tomorrow. These are the match-ups for our players -

[R1] Sameer Verma (IND,43) vs. Takuma Ueda (JPN,52)
[R1] H.S. Prannoy (IND,27) vs. Qiao Bin (CHN,26)
[R1] Ajay Jayaram (IND,23) vs. Anthony Ginting (INA,39)
[R1] B. Sai Praneeth (IND,36) vs. (3) Jan O Jorgensen (DEN,6)

[R1] (5) Saina Nehwal (IND,6) vs. Porntip BURANAPRASERTSUK (THA,12)
[R1] PUSARLA V. Sindhu (IND,11) vs. Susanta Yulia Yosephin (INA,119)

[R1] Manu Attri/ B. / Sumeeth Reddy (IND,21) vs. Soigyu Choi / Ko Sung Hyun (KOR)

Both Saina and Prannoy are playing the same opponents they lost to last week. So, they will be keen to avenge that.

[sameerph]

Good day for us so far.

At YONEX SUNRISE Hong Kong Open, Super Series

[R1] Sameer Verma (IND,43) d. Takuma Ueda (JPN,52) 22-20 21-18
[R1] H.S. Prannoy (IND,27) d. Qiao Bin (CHN,26) 21-16 21-18

[R1] (5) Saina Nehwal (IND,6) d. Porntip BURANAPRASERTSUK (THA,12) 12-21 21-19 21-17

Both Prannoy and Saina avenge their last week's losses. First win for Saina post Rio injury break.

[Omkara]

Wah... this one win from Saina... just overcomes the many disappointments witnessed in tennis over the past few months

[sameerph]

These are the other results for the day-

At YONEX SUNRISE Hong Kong Open, Super Series

[R1] Ajay Jayaram (IND,23) d. Anthony Ginting (INA,39) 21-15 13-21 21-16
[R1] B. Sai Praneeth (IND,36) l. (3) Jan O Jorgensen (DEN,6) 18-21 18-21

[R1] Pusarla V. Sindhu (IND,11) d. Susanta Yulia Yosephin (INA,119) 21-13 21-16

Almost a perfect day for us except Sai's expected loss.

Next,

[R2] Sameer Verma (IND,43) vs Kazumasa Sakai (JPN,59)
[R2] H.S. Prannoy (IND,27) vs Wei Feng Chong (MAS,51)
[R2] Ajay Jayaram (IND,23) vs Yuxiang Huang (CHN,24)

[R2] (5) Saina Nehwal (IND,6) vs Sayaka Sato (JPN,14)
[R2] Pusarla V. Sindhu (IND,11) vs Ya Ching Hsu (TPE,28)

For the year ending Dubai masters, 8th spot for womens singles is still open to be filled. Both Saina and Sindhu are still in contention along with the Japanese Sayaka Sato.

Whoever goes deep this week from among those 3 will make the trip to Dubai. Saina vs. Sayaka will be critical in that sense. Whoever loses goes out of reckoning for Dubai.

[sameerph]

Results so far today -

At YONEX SUNRISE Hong Kong Open, Super Series

[R2] Sameer Verma (IND,43) d. Kazumasa Sakai (JPN,59) 19-21 21-15 21-11
[R2] H.S. Prannoy (IND,27) l. Wei Feng Chong (MAS,51) 21-15 11-21 15-21

[R2] (5) Saina Nehwal (IND,6) d. Sayaka Sato (JPN,14) 21-18 9-21 21-16

So, comeback is well and truly on for Saina now with 2 excellent wins in first 2 rounds. And with that Sato is out of the race for Dubai masters singles spot. The race for the 8th singles spot is now only between Saina and Sindhu. Whoever goes deeper takes the ticket to Dubai.

Sindhu's second round match to come up shortly as is Ajay's match.