Delhi Acers slump to second loss

Top men’s singles players Ajay Jayaram and Tommy Sugiarto produced impressive wins but it wasn’t enough as the Delhi Acers slumped to their second loss, going down to the Chennai Smashers 3-4 at the Premier Badminton League Season 2 in Lucknow on Tuesday.

The win was Smashers’ second on trot as they maintained their dominance on the league’s points table.The men’s doubles pair of Chris Adcock and Pranaav Chopra put Chennai ahead prevailing over Koo Keat Kien and Tan Boon Heong of Delhi 15-12, 15-14.

But soon, Jayaram levelled the scores after his 15-6, 15-9 win over Simon Santoso in the first men’s singles tie.

Adcock combined with Pia Zebadiah for the mixed doubles tie and pulled off a come-from-behind 14-15, 15-14, 15-14 victory over Koo and Gabrielle Adcock as the Smashers took a 2-1 lead.

World no. 12 P.V. Sindhu contributed two crucial points to the Chennai Smashers humbling P.C. Thulasi 15-5, 15-4 in what was the trump match. The win gave the Smashers an unassailable 4-1 lead.

“It was a good match for me. I have played many matches against Thulasi earlier and so I knew her game. “I started well and managed to maintain the pressure from the first game. Thulasi gave a good fight but I kept my strategy intact. I am happy that I won the trump match for my team,” said Sindhu after her win.

Delhi’s Sugiarto played the second singles against Brice Leverdez and helped his side narrow the margin with a 15-4, 15-11 win.

Sugiarto, who played the trump game, said: “It was a must-win game for me and I am happy that I did it with conviction. We lost this tie, hoping to make a comeback in the next.”