India’s shuttlers suffered a mild hiccup before making it to the Mixed Team badminton final at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday.
After an easy passage to the semi-finals, they were checked in their stride by Singapore before winning the first semi-final 3-1.
The mixed doubles pair of Satwik Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa kicked off proceedings against Yong Kai Terry Hee and Ying Crystal Wong and needed 42 minutes for a 22-20, 21-18 victory.
Men's singles top seed KIdambi Srikanth then easily won his match, beating Kean Yew Loh 21-17, 21-14 in 37 minutes.
But Satwik Rankireddy, back on court, teaming with Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty, lost a thrilling men’s doubles encounter to Yong Kai Terry Hee and Danny Bawa Chrisnanta 21-17, 19-21, 12-21 after 53 minutes.
It was left to Saina Nehwal to save the anxiety of taking the tie into the fifth rubber and she delivered by easily disposing off Jia Min Yeo 21-8, 21-15 in women's singles.
Despite playing with a heavily strapped right foot, Saina hardly showed signs of discomfort.
"It was expected that we would play in the final,” she said, adding, "I was actually happy that I could play the match.”
Reflecting on the resistance put up by Singapore’s men’s doubles combination, she said: “I never thought they (Singapore) would give us such stiff competition."
Ashwini too acknowledged Singapore’s strong fight.
"Had we lost we would have been under pressure," she said.
India will meet the winner of the second semi-final between England and Malaysia.
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