Badminton World Championship final as it happened: Marin overcomes Saina 21-16, 21-19 to defend title

Well, that’s it from us. Thanks for following along. Ciao

even if she lost she has been the inspiration for 1000s @nsaina @ogq_india

— parth sharma (@iamparthsharmaz) August 16, 2015

Despite the loss, it is another ceiling broken for Saina. She hadn’t gone past the quarters before, so that’s a positive to take from the tournament and that’s what she should focus on. That and figuring out a way to beat Marin.

It is becoming clear that if Saina wants to win the big tournaments – the Worlds, the All-England – she will have to go through the Chinese and Marin. Hopefully she can find a way to conquer the spaniard like she has found a way to beat the Chinese over the last 12 months. If that happens, we can look forward to an intriguing rivalry at the top of the women’s game.

Time for the medal ceremony now.

“I know this was going to be a close match because Saina is a really good and congratulations to Saina for a good tournament,” says Marin.

Disappointment for Saina, of course, but she can take heart from reaching the final, the first for an Indian of either sex.

That’s a tough loss for Saina but Marin was the better player on the day. She made fewer errors and Saina wasn’t able to handle the smashes to the body.

Second Game: Marin 21 – 19 Saina

Marin gets to match-point with another smash. Saina saves one with a brave cross-court smash that wrong-foots Marin but Marin wins at the second attempt when Saina pushes the shuttle wide.

Carolina Marin has beaten Saina Nehwal 21-16, 21-19 to win her second World Championship in a row.

Second Game: Marin 19 – 18 Saina

Saina then makes a mistake. She thinks the shuttle is going long and lets it drop but it lands inside the backline to hand Marin the lead.

Second Game: Marin 18 – 18 Saina

Saina gets a break when Marin pushes the shuttle long with Saina out of position but she can’t capitalise as Marin smashes a return winner.

Second Game: Marin 17 – 17 Saina

Marin quickly draws level. This is squeaky bum time again.

Second Game: Marin 15 – 17 Saina

Marin comes right back though with a deep push for a winner but then pushes a drop shot inches wide after another lengthy rally. Neither player is giving an inch at the moment.

Second Game: Marin 14 – 16 Saina

Marin gets one point back when the shuttle drops on the line. Saina challenges but loses. Saina doesn’t allow Marin to gain any momentum though, smashing the serve to Marin’s backhand and Marin nets it.

Second Game: Marin 13 – 15 Saina

An unforced error gives Saina one point and then Saina moves Marin all over the court ini another gruelling rally that ends when Marin pushes the shuttle into the net. This is titantic stuff.

Both players playing at a very high level right now, something you would expect from the two best players in the world.

Second Game: Marin 13 – 13 Saina

Stunning rally from both players. Saina somehow returned a smash to the body and Marin somehow picked up a couple of drop shots. In the end, Marin won the rally with another smash to the body. She has won seven straight points now. Saina finally ends the run with a smash to the body of her own after another long rally.

Second Game: Marin 12 – 12 Saina

Incredible from Marin. She twice returns smashes when she seemed in no position to do so and then Saina nets a drop shot with Marin out of position. That’s what Marin’s ability to return the shuttle can do – draw the error because you feel you need to play the perfect shot. Another smash to the body draws Marin level wiht Saina. She has won six straight points now.

Saina needs to respond now. She can’t afford to let Marin draw level.

Second Game: Marin 10 – 12 Saina

Marin is making a run. She has won four points in a row to cut the gap to two points. Pounces on a short shuttle and hammers it for a winner. She’s moving sharper again. She suddenly seems to lift her game.

Second Game: Marin 8 – 12 Saina

Saina pushes her lead to six points after the break before another Marin smash to the body earns her a point back. A stunning cross-court smash from Marin from deep in the backhand corner gets her to within four points.

Second Game: Marin 6 – 11 Saina

Somehow Marin stretches to reache a drop shot from Saina and keep the rally going but a few strokes later finds the net to hand Saina a five-point advantage at the the break.

Second Game: Marin 6- 10 Saina

The pair exhange a couple of brilliant drop shots before Marin wins the point with another smash to the body to stop Saina’s run.

Second Game: Marin 5 – 9 Saina

Saina wins another long rally wiht a brilliant smash down the line from the back of the court that Marin was not expecting and could not reach. Saina inching ahead here but you never know when Marin will suddenly go on one of her runs, as she showed in the semi-finals yesterday.

Second Game: Marin 5 – 8 Saina

Saina not doing enough with the shuttle and Marin moves in smashes straight to the body. But then she makes an error, pushing the shuttle wide, and Saina leads 7-5. This is the point at which Marin went on her run in the previous game. This time Saina extends her lead to three points.

Second Game: Marin 4 – 6 Saina

Saina pushes the shuttle long again after taking a 5-3 lead but then Marin returns the favour by hitting a smash into the net. Saina led by the same score in the first game before Marin took control of it.

Second Game: Marin 2 – 4 Saina

Saina attempting to push the pace more in this second game. Leads 3-1 before Marin wrongfoots Saina with a cross-court smash. The advantage of being a leftie. Then Marin makes a surprising service fault and is called for hitting the shuttle above her waist.

Second Game: Marin 0 – 2 Saina

Saina jumps out to an early, early lead in the second game. She has to find a way to take Marin out of her comfort zone.

First Game: Marin 21 – 16 Saina

Another smash gives Marin seven game points. Saina saves the first three, the last one with a wonderful flick winner off a Marin smash. But a Marin drop shot eventually closes out the game.

First Game: Marin 19 – 13 Saina

Saina pushes the shuttle long again and this time there is no challenge. That was out. Marin then crunches a smash to take the lead back up to six and her to winthin two points of the first game.

First Game: Marin 17 – 13 Saina

But then Saina makes a miscaltulation, letting Marin’s deep push drop into the back corner.

First Game: Marin 16 – 13 Saina

For one of the few times, this game Saina catches Marin out of position with a smahs down the middle and closes the gap to four points. But then Saina misses a push long. She challenges again and wins again as Hawkeye shows the shuttle landed on the edge of the line. Saina has cut Marin’s six-point lead down to three.

First Game: Marin 16 – 10 Saina

Marin comes flying in from the backcourt to push the shuttle past Saina, who is looking worried. Marin has imposed herself on this first game and Saina is just about hanging in there.

First Game: Marin 15 – 10 Saina

An unforced error from Saina draws the fist pump and the scream from Marin. Another mistake from Saina, who misses a drop shot wide, appears to Marin a seven-point lead. But Saina challenges the call and Hawkeye shows the shuttle landed on the line.

First Game: Marin 14 – 9 Saina

Saina wins one point with a smash to the body but Marin pulls off a stunning drop inches from the net that Saina can’t return. Marin has exceptional touch.

First Game: Marin 13 – 8 Saina

Marin quickly ends any thoughts of a Saina run with two quick points. She’s looking like the better player at the moment.

First Game: Marin 11 – 8 Saina

Saina gets a point back after a long rally that she wins with a smash down the line that Marin can’t return. Saina needs to make a run of her own now.

First Game: Marin 11- 7 Saina

Just like that, Marin has won six straight points and takes a four-point lead into the break. She’s moving better and is controlling the points now. Saina needs to do something to disrupt Marin’s rhythm now.

First Game: Marin 8 – 7 Saina

Another error from Saina – she pushes a backhand drop shot wide – gives Marin the lead.

First Game: Marin 7- 7 Saina

Saina lets a down-the-line smash go and it lands just inside the line. Marin staying close and draws level when Saina makes an error and mishits the shuttle. The umpire warns Marin for wiping her sweat and throwing it on the court.

First Game: Marin 5 – 6 Saina

Saina misses a cross-court drop shot – she pushes it wide – and Marin lets out a scream.

First Game: Marin 4 – 5 Saina

Saina managing to keep her nose in front. She has got the better of the net exchanges so far but that’s a trend that could change quickly. Marin is excellent at the net.

First Game: Marin 2- 4 Saina

Saina jumps out to an early two-point lead when Marin makes a couple of errors. This is the kind of start Saina needed. Now she has to build on it.

First Game: Marin 1 – 1 Saina

Saina loses the first point but a stunning smash off Marin’s serve earns her the second. That’s an aggressive sign from Saina. She can’t allow Marin to dictate the pace of play.

Marin, who is left-handed, to sere first.

Saina leads their head-to-head record 3-1 but it was Marin who won their last meeting in three games at the All England final.

Marin was trailing 8-13 in the deciding game of her semi-final and the won 13 of the last 16 points to win the match. That’s what Saina is up against. Marin just doesn’t go away.

The players are warming up now.

Marin is also the defending world champion. So this is not new for her.

Carolina Marin walks out to loud applause. Saina Nehwal follows, walking slowly. She’s dressed in black today, not pink. Marin is in pink.

If @NSaina wins today she will keep the title for two years as there is no World Badminton Championships in 2016 because of the Olympics

— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) August 16, 2015

The ceremony appears to finally be over. We are now just a few minutes away from the women’s final. It is important for Saina to start well. If Marin makes the early running, I can’t see Saina catching up. Saina will also have to shut out Marin’s tendency to scream and shout and gesture on the court. She’s got to focus on what she has to do.

The medal presentation is still going on. the players have been their medals, flowers, a plaque and now they are getting some mementos.

We are just minutes away from the women’s final now. Saina will have to be at her very best to pull off a victory. Or hope that Marin has an off day.

The World No. 1 pair of Nan Zhang and Yunlei Zhao cruised to victory in straight games to pick up their third World Championship title.

But first the medal ceremony ceremony.

The mixed doubles final is done. It’s now time for the main event as far as India is concerned.

That’s what Saina had to say about her win yesterday. She made more mistakes than she normally does, which suggests there were some butterflies. That’s not something she can afford against Marin.

One of my toughest matches this week: Sainahttp://www.firstpost.com

The Saina – Marin match is the second one on court today, after the mixed doubles final, where the second game has just begun.

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the BWF World Championship women’s final. It is a clash between the top two players in the world – Carolina Marin and India’s own Saina Nehwal. Marin beat Saina in the finals of the All England Championship in March this year and has been playing the best badminton of her career, and also of anyone in the world, so Saina goes into the match as the underdog.