Macau open 2016: India’s Saina Nehwal defeated Indonesia’s Dinar Dyah Ayustine 17-21, 21-18, 21-12 to enter the quarter-finals of the Macau Open Grand Prix on Thursday. Nehwal, the top seed, will face unseeded Chinese player Yiman Zhang in the quarterfinals.
With the Indonesian leading 7-6 in the first game, Nehwal won five consecutive points to get ahead 11-7. Nehwal couldn’t hold on to the lead, however, as Ayustine clawed her way back with two separate bursts of three points for a 14-13 lead.
Macau Open 2016: Summary of the Fame between Saina Nehwal and Dinar Dyah Ayustine
Saina Nehwal, after a hard-fought win in the first round, was again stretched to the third game in the pre-quarterfinals by Indonesian Dinar Dyah Ayustine at the Macau Open 2016 Grand Prix Gold. The 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, however, prevailed.
Ahead 16-15, the Indonesian reeled off four straight points before sealing the game 21-17.
Down 1-3 in the second game, Nehwal won ten straight points to lead 11-3. Nehwal failed to hold on to her lead yet again as Ayustine mounted another comeback, coming all the way back from 12-18 to 18-18. Nehwal held her nerve, however, winning the next three points to take the game 21-18.
Nehwal dominated the deciding game, surging ahead from 11-9 to comfortably close it out 21-12.
With a roller-coaster like ride, as once she was on the top and now failing to leave a mark in the grand opens. Siana Nehwal already had indicated she might retire next year but her comeback after the injury. She lost in the very first round in the Rio Olympics and also lost in the first round of China Open 2016.
After China Cup, she has shown to the world that why she was the top player at a time and qualified to the quarters and also gave a really tough fight in the quarters as well. We wish she will win this title to give a boost tom her confidence and play more for India.
