Match 1: Sai Praneeth (HYD) vs Vicent Wong Wing Ki (AWA)
Ki and Praneeth went neck-to-neck in a thriller of a match, but in the end, it was the man from Hong Kong who kept his cool, saving three match points to ultimately win 11-13 11-6 13-11.
Praneeth started off proceedings by mixing up his game well with a good combination of defence, deception and powerful smashing to edge into a 6-5 lead at the half. However, Ki came back strongly with some smart badminton and overturned the deficit, getting game point at 10-8. But Praneeth saved both the game points to level at 10-10. He again saved another to make it 11-11. The Indian made his game point count when after winning the next point, clinching the first game 13-11. Ki came into the second game strongly, and played well to take a 6-4 lead into the half. He dominated proceedings after the break and sealed the second game with a convincing 11-6 score line. The players went toe-to-toe in the deciding game, but a few errors from Praneeth meant that Ki had the lead at the half by virtue of a 6-5 score line. Ki took an 8-5 lead after the break but Praneeth showed good character to overturn the deficit by winning the next five points and get two match points at 10-8. But Ki was resolute and saved them both to tie the game at 10-10. Ki then saved another match point to make the score line 11-11. The man from Hong Kong made his only match point count after winning the next point and clinched the game and match at 13-11.
Result: Vincent Wong Wing Ki (AWA) beat Sai Praneeth (HYD) 11-13 11-6 13-11
Match 2: Carolina Marin (HYD) vs Saina Nehwal (AWA)
The most awaited clash of the evening was between the former world number ones Saina Nehwal and Carolina Marin. The duo has been involved in some intense battles in the past and this one was no less. It was like two heavyweight boxers trading blows as Marin went into the break with a slight 6-5 lead. The Spaniard then took control to lead 9-6 before Nehwal fought back gamely to level the score at 9-all. The match went all the way to 14-all with both players simply refusing to give in.
Finally, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist used her fine deception skills to pull through and win the first game 15-14. Marin then simply took off in the second game as she powered to a 6-0 lead at the break. She continued to dominate to cruise through the second game 11-5 and brought the Hunters right back into the contest to level the tie 1-1. Marin has served an early reminder to the rest of the competition that she remains the player to beat among women.
Result: Carolina Marin (HYD) beat Saina Nehwal (AWA) 15-14, 11-5
Match 3: Satwik Sai Raj/Chau Hoi Wah (AWA) vs Bodin Isara/Savitree Amitrapai (HYD)
The third match of the evening witnessed the mixed doubles encounter as Awadhe Warriors called for a trump match. The Warriors’ pair of Isara and Amitrapai proved to be too strong for Satwik and Chau as they won in straight sets by virtue of an 11-9 12-10 score line.
Isara and Amitrapai showed good chemistry as they went into a 6-4 lead at the half in the first game. They started dominating after the half and ultimately ran out 11-9 winners. They showed no signs of slowing down in the second game either and ran into a convincing 6-2 lead during the half. Satwik and Chau though, made a stunning comeback and had two match points at 10-8. But Isara and Amitrapai were calm under pressure and saved both the match points and sealed the deal at 12-10, giving the Hunters two crucial points.
Result: Isara/Amitrapai (AWA) beat Satwik/Chau (HYD) 11-9 12-10
Match 4: Kidambi Srikanth (AWA) vs Rajiv Ouseph (HYD)
Awadhe Warriors had a fabulous chance to put the game beyond the Hyderabad Hunters with Kidambi Srikanth taking on Rajiv Ouseph. Srikanth got off to a good start as led 6-2 at the break. Ouseph came back strongly to make it 6-6. Srikanth hit some superb smashes but Ouseph managed to hold his own to take the keenly fought first game 13-11. The Brit displayed tremendous patience and spirit to take advantage of Srikanth’s inconsistency to grab the first game.
Srikanth, just as in the first game, motored to a 6-2 lead by the break. The Guntur-lad kept Ouseph at bay however to seal the second game with a trademark jump smash to take it 11-7. Both players were under pressure in the deciding game as they made uncharacteristic unforced errors as Srikanth held a slender 6-4 lead. The Indian extended his lead to 8-4 only to see Ouseph claw back to within one point to snatch the lead at 10-9 with some tremendous smashes of his own. But, errors crept into Ouseph’s game as Srikanth held his nerve to take the humdinger of a game 13-11 to hand the Warriors an unassailable 4-1 lead.
Result: Kidambi Srikanth (AWA) beat Rajiv Ouseph (HYD) 11-13, 11-7, 13-11
Match 5: Goh W Shem/Markis Kido (AWA) vs Tan Boon Heong/Tan Wee Kiong (HYD)
The final match was inconsequential as far as the final outcome was concerned as the doubles pair of Goh Shem and Markis Kido representing Awadhe took on the Hunters’ pair of Tan Boon Heong and Tan Wee Kiong.
The two Tans made a positive start and led 6-3 at the break in the first game and went on to take the first game 11-7. Shem and Kido started the second game strongly, rushing into a 6-2 lead at the half and did not look back as they played some strong badminton to win 11-8. In the deciding game, the two Tans dominated proceedings to take a 6-3 lead at the half. They went into a 10-6 lead after the half, but Shem and Kido made an amazing comeback to save four match points and tie the game at 10-10. They saved another match point to make it 11-11 and ultimately completed a brilliant comeback to win 13-11 and hand the first trump defeat of this season to the Hunters.
Result: Shem/Kido (AWA) beat Tan/Tan (HYD) 7-11 11-8 13-11
Match Result: Awadhe Warriors beat Hyderabad Hunters 5-0.