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India's world No 2 to meet defending champion and world No 1 Carolina Marin of Spain in summit clash on Sunday
Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal became the first Indian to reach the final of the World Badminton Championships.
The world No 2 Indian notched a 21-17, 21-17 victory over Indonesia’s Lindaweni Fanetri, who was struggling with her right knee, in the semi-finals of the women’s singles on Saturday.
In a repeat to this year’s All-England final, the second seeded Saina will fight it out with defending champion and world No 1 Carolina Marin of Spain in the summit clash on Sunday.
It will be India’s fifth medal at the World Championships following P V Sindhu's bronze in 2013 and 2014 and Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa bronze in women’s doubles at the 2011 edition.
Legendary shuttler Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a bronze, at the 1983 edition.
It turned out to be a tight contest as Saina and Fanetri, who was playing with a strapping on her right knee, engaged in long rallies and gave each other a tough fight at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
Fanetri opened up a 6-2 lead early on in the first game as Saina tried to get a hang of the drift in the stadium. The Indonesian had to receive treatment from the team doctor at 7-6 after complaining of pain in her knee.
She looked restricted in her movement as Saina clawed back at 9-9 and grabbed the lead when she hit wide. A service fault helped Fanetri to level score at 10, but Saina went into the break with a 11-10 lead after winning a long rally.
After the interval, Saina increased the gap to 15-12 but committed a few unforced errors to allow the Indonesian draw parity at 15. A net fault and a wide shot by the Indonesian gave Saina a 18-16 lead.
Egged on by a vociferous crowd, the home girl kept fighting but a ferocious return took Saina to 19-17. Fanetri next found the net again as Saina gained three game points and pocketed the game.
Fanetri struggled with her knee but never gave up and matched Saina for strokes. She went 4-3 ahead, tried to vary the pace and came up with acute angled shots to trouble Saina.
Every time Saina took the lead, she clawed back. The duo moved neck and neck from 6-6 to 10-10 before Saina went into the break with a slender 11-10 lead.
After the breather, Saina opened up a 14-11 lead, but again committed a few unforced errors which helped the Indonesian draw abreast at 14. Saina again surged ahead to 17-14 but Fanetri showed nerves of steel to narrow it down to 16-17 and 17-18.
Eventually, Sania gained a three-match point advantage when Fanetri hit long. Another wide shot from the Indonesian and Saina raised her arms in celebration.