India crash out of Sudirman Cup with 0-5 defeat against defending champions China

India crashed out of the 17th edition of the BWF Sudirman Cup following a second consecutive defeat in Vantaa, Finland on Monday.

After a disappointing start to their 2021 Sudirman Cup campaign on Sunday, India were looking to bounce back against defending champions China in their second Group A match on Monday.

However, it turned out to be a damp squib for India as 11-time champions China blanked India 5-0.

With two straight defeats, India are now ejected from the knockout race. The third and last league match against hosts Finland on Wednesday will now be an inconsequential one.

India proves no match for mighty Chinese

Although India were a depleted side with the absence of PV Sindhu, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, they did not even manage to win a single game against the Chinese.

Only the men’s doubles pairing of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila offered a semblance of a fight and were close to winning the first game.

After clinching their match against Thailand, Arjun and Dhruv’s confidence levels were up. They were leading marginally in the first game but could not close out the contest in their favor.

Chinese pair Liu Cheng and Zhou Hao Dong won the extended first game 22-20 and then claimed the next one 21-17 to provide their team with a perfect start.

It was the only well-contested match of the tie as the other four matches turned out to be hugely one-sided affairs.

India made changes to their line-up but in vain

Teenager Aditi Bhatt was given a chance to face Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei in the women’s singles. The move backfired as 18-year-old Aditi was thrashed 9-21, 8-21 by the world No. 2 Chinese.

Chen Yu Fei needed just 27 minutes to get done with Aditi. In the first outing against Thailand, Malvika Bansod put up a strong fight against world No. 10 Pornpawee Chochuwong.

Like in the women’s singles, India also changed their men’s singles player against China, though there was no change in the result.

B Sai Praneeth was beaten 10-21, 10-21 in 38 minutes by Shi Yu Qi. It was the fifth successive win for the world No. 10 over Sai Praneeth in the international tournaments.

World No. 15 Sai Praneeth showed glimpses of his prowess on a few occasions but was completely outclassed by the Chinese, who capitalized on his opponent’s short of confidence.

The women’s doubles also turned out to be a disappointing one for the Indians.

India’s experienced pair Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy could not prove effective and lost to Li Wen Mei-Zheng Yu 16-21, 15-21.

World No. 28 pair Ashwini and Sikki fought well for 35 minutes but could take control of the proceedings. Li Wen Mei and Zheng Yu, ranked 15 in the world, registered their third win over the Indian duo.

There was no change in the outcome in the last match of the day either.

Feng Yan Zhe and Du Yue completed the Indians’ misery with another straight-game win in mixed doubles.

The makeshift combination of Kidambi Srikanth and Rutaparna Panda hardly looked convincing on the court as they played for the first time together.

Results

India lost to China 0-5

Men’s doubles

MR Arjun-Dhruv Kapila lost to Liu Cheng-Zhou Hao Dong 20-22, 17-21 (49 minutes)

Women’s singles

Aditi Bhatt lost to Chen Yu Fei 9-21, 8-21 (27 minutes)

Men’s singles

B Sai Praneeth lost to Shi Yu Qi 10-21, 10-21 (38 minutes)

Women’s doubles

Ashwini Ponnappa-N Sikki Reddy lost to Li Wen Mei-Zheng Yu 16-21, 13-21 (36 minutes)

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Mixed doubles

Kidambi Srikanth-Rutaparna Panda lost to Feng Yan Zhe-Du Yue 9-21, 9-21 (29 minutes).