The Indian women's team, led by star shuttler Saina Nehwal, scripted history in the Uber Cup by beating Indonesia 3-0 in the quarterfinals to ensure at least a bronze medal for the first time in this competition.
India have done remarkably well all tournament, defeating teams like Thailand and Hong Kong in the group stages at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in Delhi. India is now set to face Japan in the semifinals on Friday, who defeated Denmark in the other last-8 clash.
Captain Saina provided India a winning start, beating world number 23 Lindaweni Fanetri 21-17, 21-10. The Indonesian opened an eight-point 15-7 advantage over Saina in the first game as the Indian ace struggled to control shots on the backline.
Saina, fresh from registering a win over Ratchanok Intanon, quickly regained her composure and hit the shuttle all across the court to wear out her Indonesian opponent and put India 1-0 up in the rubber.
"I kept my focus and went for the rallies. At one point I stopped looking at the score," said Saina. "I could feel she was getting tired."
"Following the victory over Ratchanok Intanon (World No. 4 from Thailand), there was nothing much to think about," a confident Saina said.
The 11th-ranked PV Sindhu put India 2-0 up in the tie by defeating world number 24 Bellartrix Manuputty 21-16, 10-21, 25-23 in a hard-fought encounter.
Sindhu won the first game convincingly, but Manuputty got the better of her opponent in the second to force the decider, with Sindhu, who was playing with a heavily strapped knee, going into her shell.
The Indian youngster, though, played the waiting game in the decider, surviving two match points, to finally emerge as the winner against Manuputty.
The Commonwealth Games gold medallist pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa provided the finishing touches to the Indian campaign against Indonesia, defeating the ninth-ranked duo of Greysia Polii and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari in straight games.
The 36th-ranked Indian pair displayed a gutsy performance against their much higher-ranked opponents winning 21-18, 21-18.
Catch the Uber Cup highlights HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.
