Uber Cup: Indian women settle for bronze

Defending champions China beat India 3-0 in semi-finals.

The Indian women's team settled for a bronze medal after a 0-3 defeat to defending champions China in the semi-finals of the Uber Cup badminton championship, in Kunshan, on Friday.

After the country's leading shuttlers Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu went down narrowly to their respective opponents in the two singles matches, Jwala Gutta and N Sikki Reddy also bit the dust in the first doubles, ending India's campaign.

The Indian eves had scripted history in the last edition when they won a historic bronze in New Delhi and repeated the feat this time at the Kunshan Sports Center Stadium.

Assured a bronze after the 3-1 victory over Thailand on Thursday, they needed a magical performance to tame the 13-time champions at home, but it did not happen.

A lot was riding on Saina and Sindhu, but despite their best efforts they could not give India a positive start.

Opening the proceedings, Saina played out of her skin before losing 15-21, 21-12, 17-21 to Li Xuerui in a thrilling match that lasted 64 minutes.

It was her eighth successive loss to Li. The last time Saina had beaten the Olympic champion was at the 2012 Indonesia Open.

Coming into the match with a 4-5 head-to-head record against Shixian Wang, Sindhu went full throttle before losing 13-21, 21-23 in 50 minutes.

It was her fourth consecutive defeat to the world No 6.

Down 0-2 in the five-match rubber, Jwala-Sikki tried their best before capitulating 6-21, 6-21 to Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei in 25 minutes.

Earlier, in the first singles, Saina blew away a 10-6 lead in the opening game before going into the break 11-10 ahead, which Li erased and eventually pocketed the game.

In the second game, Saina erased a 2-6 deficit early on and broke away after 8-8. She then reeled off nine straight points to bounce back in style.

In the decider, the duo fought tooth and nail before the Chinese marched ahead from 13-13 to shut the door on the Indian ace.

In the second singles, Sindhu was no match for Shixian in the opening game. The Chinese zoomed ahead from 3-3 and never looked back.

In the second game, Sindhu had a healthy 18-8 advantage but all of it vaporised as Shixian crafted her way back in the contest and caught up with the Indian at 20-20. In the end it was the Chinese who had the last laugh.