PV Sindhu scripts history by becomes first Indian to enter Badminton Final at Olympics

PV Sindhu has scripted history by becoming the first Indian Badminton player to enter the Final at the Olympics and assure at least a Silver medal for the country in the sport. In a high voltage semi-final last evening, world number 10 Sindhu registered a scintillating 21-19, 21-10 victory over higher placed Nozomi Okuhara of Japan to seal a place in the Rio Games Gold medal match. Sindhu will play for the Gold today evening against world number one Carolina Marin of Spain. Marin had defeated defending champion Xuerui Li in the other semi-final.

Gymnast Dipa Karmakar and steeplechaser Lalita Babar had got the plaudits for their feats in the beginning before grappler Sakshi Malik ended India's long Rio Olympics medal wait. PV Sindhu, playing her first Olympics, has, now, bettered even that. Having a height and long reach advantage, Sindhu played some of the best Badminton



of her career in the semi-final last evening and completely outclassed Okuhara. The first game was tight but went 21-19 in Sindhu's favour, as the Japanese made errors at crucial moments, with Sindhu dictating the rallies. 

Sindhu went 5-0 down in the second game, but came back with all guns blazing, brilliantly using all corners of the court, to make it 11-10. Post break, it was a merciless PV Sindhu who dismantled the Japanese with 10 consecutive points, which included some immaculate backhand flicks, drops and smashes. A thunderous smash past a defenseless Japanese sealed the deal, 21-10, as history was created. Sakshi Malik, who won the Bronze, our first medal of the Games also congratulated Sindhu.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have also congratulated Sindhu for the victory and wished her luck for the Final.