Yahoo! India News | LONDON: India's strongest medal hope Saina Nehwal today created history by becoming the first Indian to enter Olympics semi-finals after she defeated Denmark's Tine Baun 21-15, 22-20 in the women's singles quarter-finals at the Wembley Arena.
The Indian, seeded fourth, was in top form and sent a warning to her opponents with her full array of shots that demolished the fifth seed Baun.The first game was easy for the Indian, but the Danish player came back strongly in the second game to lead 20-17. Saina came back strongly to win the next five points to seal a place in the semi-finals.
In the process Saina also improved her head-to-head record againt Baun to 4-3.
The Indian took off in excellent form with her cross-court and traditional sliced smashes. The fourth seed forced Baun to make several errors in the first game with precise volleys on which the Dane erred.
The 33-year-old Dane, an old foe of Saina, tried fighting back but the Hyderabadi proved too good and did not allow Baun to keep her serve.
Saina, 22, with her brilliant on-court movement and deep lunges for the shuttle earned a 20-13 advantage and won the game on her fourth game point.
Baun, determined to fight back, put up a much better show in the second game which almost went in her favour.
The second game saw a close and exciting see-saw battle where Saina's body shots and Baun's smashes were both working and neither player could completely dominate the opponent.
Initially it looked as if Baun would take the lead in the game with a 10-7 advantage but Saina clawed back winning six consecutive points to take the lead (13-10).
The fifth seeded Dane suddenly found spring in her legs when it appeared that Saina would ease through. Baun first levelled the score at 15-15 and then went ahead 18-15.
In no time, Baun reached game point (20-17). But the 22-year-old Indian was in her elements and rallied back saving three game points and drew level at 20-all.
In the pre-quarters, Saina pulverised her ageing rival Jie Yao of the Netherlands with a flurry of deft placement, brilliant net play and lethal smashes to carve out a 21-14 21-16 victory in only 38 minutes.
Saina next faces World No. 1 and top seed Yihan Wang of China. The Indian has never beaten in her previous five encounters.
Courtesy: http://in.news.yahoo.com
News Link: http://in.news.yahoo.com/olympics--saina-becomes-first-indian-shuttler-to-reach-olympics-semis.html
