Saina Nehwal leads India to historic first final

Breaking news! NEW DELHI: Top-seeded champions Malaysia will face a noisy and emotion-charged combination of opponents after India reached the final of the Commonwealth Games badminton team event for the first time.

The home country turned on an outstanding performance, outplaying the former champions England 3-0 without even dropping a game.

It is into a similarly powerful mixture of decibels and adrenaline that Malaysia will now be pitched as an entirely contrasting reward for their fairly relaxed 3-1 win over Singapore.

Strong favourites though the champions are, they cannot be quite as certain as four years ago in Melbourne that everything will go smoothly.

India started strongly and grew stronger.

The opening encounter, in which Jwala Gutta and Dija Valija Veetil won 21-17, 21-17 against former world champion Nathan Robertson and his current partner Jenny Wallwork, was a mighty blow.

The English had to win that to avoid disappointment, and, apart from a brief spell in the second game they never looked likely to manage it.

It was followed by a good victory for Kashlak Parupalli, who won 21-13, 21-17 over Rajeev Ouseph, who has recently climbed into the world's top 20 for the first time, but could not cope with the speed and appetite of the man from Hyderabad.

It was a torrid return to India for the English national champion whose family come from in Thrissur in Kerala and whom he visits from time to time.

India's winning lead was completed by their star, Saina Nehwal, who meandered along with a one-point deficit until 16-17 in the first game before accelerating to a 21-18, 21-11 win over Liz Cann, the other English national champion.

"Playing in a team event in India before an Indian crowd feels quite different from what I am used to on tour," said Nehwal. "I do like that aspect of it very much. It's a proud feeling."

It is one the Malaysians are aware of.

They were mostly able to conserve their energies against the Singaporeans, and they are unlikely to underestimate the final hurdle.

"We thought India against England would be quite a close match," said Rexy Mainaky, their doubles head coach.

"But the mental spirit of the Indians was important.

"They are strong in mixed doubles, women's singles and women's doubles, and we will be up against not just the players but the crowd.

"Of course our players have been in this situation in the past so hopefully they will show a good fighting spirit too. But it will still be quite difficult."

It was an oustanding doubles player who both started and finished the Malaysian semifinal success.

Koo Kien Keat, world number one in men's doubles, paired up with Chin Eei Hui, ranked six in the world in women's doubles, and did so well, winning in straight games against Chayut Triyachart and Yao Lei in the mixed doubles.

And then Koo completed the 3-1 success when he and his list-topping partner Tan Boon Heong trounced Triyachart and Hendra Wijaya 21-7, 21-13.

In between, Lee Chong Wei, the world number one, strolled through a 21-19, 21-18 win over Wong Zi, the 20-year-old Singaporean number one, after which there was a slightly surprising women's singles defeat for Wong Mew Choo.

Wong, a top 20 player, was beaten 21-12, 7-21, 21-16 by Xing Ailing, once the youngest player, at 15, to win a Grand Prix title.
source: agency