Se Young proves to be too speedy for PV Sindhu at Korea Open

An Se Young is crowding, cramping, rushing and stifling PV Sindhu all at the same time with her speedy game that resulted in a 21-14, 21-17 loss for the Indian – her fourth in as many meetings. What’s ironical is Sindhu can hardly be faulted for moving slow or not being agile or strong, or not having fuel in the tank. The 26-year-old Indian is perhaps as prepared as she can be to take on the ASY challenge physically. It is purely in badminton choices, the strokes she chooses, the moments she deems fit to attack or defend, in her sheer decision-making on court, that she’s getting stuck.
The Korea Open semis is only the latest of setbacks. But it is evident that Sindhu will need an extra gear against the likes of Carolina Marin, Tai Tzu Ying, Pornpawee Chochuwong and now An Se Young. Their game-styles annoy the Indian owing to their speed – how quickly they get under the shuttle, and how fast the hand-speed smacks it back. Even Sayaka Takahashi used pace to tangle Sindhu at All England.

Like the Marin blitz, plus or minus the deceptions of Tai Tzu and Chochuwong, An Se Young makes an extremely fit Sindhu, appear slower to react in comparison. It’s akin to the relative speed of two trains headed in same direction, except the Indian is not on the express-track.
So, the Korean’s short serve pounces on Sindhu, the flat tosses stifle her shaping up for the aerial attack, ASY’s streaking net play cuts that extra second that can help her decide whether to go for the lift or dribble. The young Korean is simultaneously sprinting and hopping around like a rabbit picking every shuttle in sight and denying Sindhu oxygen and confidence on her attack that peters off.
Sindhu was so traumatized at being kept away from the lead 11-7 in the opener, that she rammed wildly at the shuttle nearing the end of the set, helping ASY close out. In the second, the defense wilted, though she was eking out points combatively. Saturday’s second set might have been the closest one between the two yet, with the Indian staying in the hunt till 9-all and gamely stealing three points against the nervous Korean to get to 17-18, before ASY pulled away.
PV Sindhu will need an extra gear against the likes of Carolina Marin, Tai Tzu Ying and now Se Young.  (Source: AP)
What ASY has successfully managed is not give Sindhu the length to carve her attack. There are hardly any floaters that linger at the mid-court, and very limited birds that can be smash winners. Starved of the hittable lifts, Sindhu is stifled in unleashing her favourite point-hoarders. The intra-rally pace is so high that mere defense only prolongs the inevitable. And the youngster who flexes both arms in celebration when she’s thrilled with a point, doesn’t quite tire often.This is also the longest that Sindhu has gone without pulling one back against any of the top opponents. (See Box). And it’s why An Se Young assumes the clear contours of a nemesis.

This is the second important loss after the one Sindhu suffered at the World Tour Finals final. And while the Indian has gone for long stretches without beating certain opponents whose game style troubles her (Tai Tzu Ying, 6 consecutive times between November 2016 & December 2018 and most recently 5 times since October 2019), ASY seems to have a stranglehold over the Indian that Sindhu just can’t shake off.
Sindhu has never permitted one opponent to build demons of their invincibility in her head, always finding answers to every poser sooner than later. ASY though seems like one right Korean puzzle, that’ll keep showing up at tournaments big and small, halting Sindhu’s progress.
Srikanth & his puddle of errors
Jonatan Chrie did it yet again. After denying HS Prannoy a title at Basel, the Indonesian was back to hassle another Indian, Kidambi Srikanth and score another spot in a tournament final. Srikanth was taken apart 21-19, 21-16 the Asian Games champ in 49 minutes of the semifinal at Suncheon. Chrie might not be as quick as Anthony Ginting, but possesses the mind maps and lithe limbs that tease out winners from under the nose of opponents in the same time. A fluid, no-skid mover on the court who anticipates early and constructs points using every inch of the court, Chrie refused to be deceived or dazzled Srikanth’s fairly regular cross net drops on the follow up.
The Indonesian 24-year-old would play his attacking clears to the corners (which Srikanth to his credit retrieved), not allow the Indian to settle and stay within 2 points in the opener, before amping up the intensity at the clutch.

There is a certain mental discipline called upon in non-fancy kills. A shuttle ripe to be smashed in the centre of the court, with the opponent pinned at baseline, needs to still go over the tape. A cross smash does not need the dramatic fizz that will potentially send it wide off the court – just because the point is so gettable with the opponent again on the wrong flank. In the not-so-infrequent opportunities that Srikanth got to pick the easy points, he tended to spray them wide or dump returns into the net. It’s tough to figure if it’s a rush of blood or desperation to finish the point or the drift playing tricks with his head. But Srikanth’s over-hitting leading to errors has turned into a colossal problem that eats into both his momentum and confidence.Srikanth’s errors combined with Chrie’s accuracy meant the Indonesian did what he does best – finish strongly in the first. The Indian stayed in the game till 12-all in the second, but looked deflated the enormity of the climb expected of him from Indonesia’s Thomas Cup hero who simply knows how to get the job done and matches won.
Number of losses before Sindhu’s first win:0. Vs Carolina Marin, Chen Yufei, Pornpawee Chochuwong, Nozomi Okuhara
1. Vs Li Xue Rui, Saina Nehwal, Sayaka Takahashi, Akane Yamaguchi
2. Vs Tai Tzu Ying, He Bingjiao
3. Vs Intanon Ratchanok
4* Vs An Se Young
(* – still to be broken losing streak)