Massive scare for the Japanese women
UNSHAN: India gave second seeds Japan a run for their money before caving in to a 3-2 defeat in a Group D Uber Cup decider here on Wednesday. With the win, Japan completed their group fixtures unbeaten and finish at the top of the group.
Thanks to their courageous run, the Japanese will be seeded for the quarter-finals draw. India also advanced as the group runners-up.
India won the first two singles through ace shuttlers, Saina Nehwal and world No 10 P.V. Sindhu. India got off to a winning start when Nehwal, the world No 8, outplayed reigning All-England champion Nozomi Okuhara 21-18, 21-16 while Sindhu stunned Akane Yamaguchi 21-11, 21-18 in the second singles.
But that was as far as the Indians got as Japan staged a fightback and won both the doubles matches and Sayaka Sato the third singles.
Meanwhile, Malaysia finally secured their first win in the Uber Cup Finals with a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Spain in a Group A match, However, the outcome of the match had no bearing as both Malaysia and Spain are out of the quarter-finals.
Malaysia rested their No 1 shuttler Tee Jing Yee against the Spaniards and fielded world junior champion Goh Jin Wei against world champion Carolina Marin.
The Spaniard needed 77 minutes to beat the 16-year-old Malaysian 21-18, 20-22, 21-16.
Beatriz Corrales defeated Ho Yen Mei 21-13, 21-9 in the second singles to give Spain a 2-0 lead.
However, the Malaysians, with pride at stake, were not giving up and Soniia Cheah turned the tide around with a 21-14, 21-18 win over Clara Azurmendi in the third singles.
Malaysia prevailed in both the doubles despite fielding scratch pairs.
Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean made it 2-2 with a 21-12 21-7 win over Beatriz Corrales-Lorena Usle in the second doubles, which was played first and wrapped up the match through Amelia Alicia Anscelly-Woon Khe Wei stormed to a 21-12, 21-13 win against Clara Azurmendi-Laia Oset in 28 minutes.
UBER CUP RESULTS (May 18)
GROUP A
Malaysia beat Spain 3-2
Singles
Goh Jin Wei lost to Carolina Marin 18-21, 22-20, 16-21
Ho Yen Mei lost to Beatriz Corrales 13-21, 9-21
Sonia Cheah beat Clara Azurmendi 21-14, 21-18
Doubles
Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean beat Beatriz Corrales-Lorena Usle 21-12, 21-7
Amelia Alicia Anscelly-Woon Khe Wei beat Clara Azurmendi-Laia Oset 21-12, 21-13
GROUP B
USA beat Mauritius 5-0
GROUP D
Japan beat India 3-2
Singles
Nozomi Okuhara lost to Saina Nehwal 18-21, 6-21
Akane Yamaguchi lost to P.V. Sindhu 11-21, 18-21
Sayaka Sato beat Ruthvika Shiveni Gadde 21-7, 21-14
Doubles
Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi beat Jwala Gutta-Sikki Reddy Nelakurihi 21-11, 21-8
Shizuka Matsuo-Mami Naito beat Ashwini Ponnappa-P.V. Sindhu 15-21, 21-19, 21-16
