Highlights Singapore Open, badminton scores and updates: Sai Praneeth beats Kidambi Srikanth; Tai Tzu wins

Men’s Doubles Final:

Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen defeat Li Junhi and Liu Yuchen 21-13, 21-14 in 41 minutes to clinch the men’s doubles title.

Congratulations @saiprneeth92 !! 👏👏👏and well done @srikidambi !! 👌 #superstars @BAI_Media #SingaporeSS

— Kashyap Parupalli (@parupallik) April 16, 2017

Heartiest congratulations to @saiprneeth92 on winning his maiden Super Series title from THFC India Family!! 🏸🏅🎉🇮🇳#SingaporeSS pic.twitter.com/NbmFayzbr3

— Tottenham Hotspur (@Spurs_India) April 16, 2017

Unlucky for the third time in third consecutive Super Series final but well played yet again! 

Carolina Marin put up valiant fight against the World no.1 Tai Tzu Ying, clinches the silver medal in the #SingaporeSS. pic.twitter.com/x8lOsiMSWx

— Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) April 16, 2017

Tai Tzu Ying defeats Marin; wins 5th consecutive Super Series title: 21-15, 21-15

World no. 1 Tai Tzu wins her 5th title in five months and 3rd in 2017 after getting the best over Olympic champion Carolina Marin. The Chinese Taipei shuttler has defeated Marin in second consecutive Super Series finals as the Spaniard’s unlucky run continues. Complete domination otherwise by Tai Tzu! 

13-11! Well, that was mesmerising stuff from Tai Tzu to drift the shuttle at the last moment. It shouldn’t be a surprise as the Singapore Indoor Stadium is known for its drift.

12-10! Tai Tzu is doing everything she can to stop Marin’s attack after the break. The only way out for Marin is to become more tactical from here on and try to stretch Tai towards the basepoint

11-8! Tai Tzu has a 3-point advantage in the second game against Marin #SingaporeSS

LIVE: https://t.co/SpBu0JmZVL pic.twitter.com/G4Lwj59Tew

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) April 16, 2017

6-6! The second game has started quickly as both shuttlers look to put their best performance forward in the crucial hurdle. Marin needs a healthy lead to unsettle Tai Tzu and force a decider!

Tai Tzu Ying proves why she stands on the No.1 spot, took the opening game 21-15. #SingaporeSS

— Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) April 16, 2017

Tai Tzu takes the first game: 21-15

Tiring rallies and a barrage of backhand shots gave the Chinese Taipei shuttler the edge over Marin in the first hurdle. However, Marin hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s just that Tai Tzu has been successfully reading Marin’s movement. 

14-14! Notably, Marin starts the play near her basepoint and capitalises her body at the forecourt to hit smashes and quick drives. Let’s see if that works out well for the Olympic champion

Tai Tzu Ying leads 11-10 midway through the first game. The top seed ace is continuously attacking near Marin’s right tramline that has proved beneficial for the All England and Malaysia Open winner.

Those loud screeches from @caro_marin2 are enough to hush an entire stadium.😀leads 9-8 against the World no.1. #SingaporeSS Final

— Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) April 16, 2017

Carolina Marin vs Tai Tzu Ying

Another interesting match gets underway as top seed Tai Tzu squares off against Marin in the replay of the final of the Malaysia Open. However, Tai Tzu is on a 24-game unbeaten streak whereas Marin is in great touch after beating India Open winner PV Sindhu in the quarters of the competition.

Great to see two Indians on the podium of a Super series. Well played Sai Praneeth and Srikanth Kidambi. #SingaporeSS

— Jigar Mehta (@jigsactin) April 16, 2017

Well played @saiprneeth92!!! Showed a lot of heart to come back from a game down #SingaporeSS

— Kaushal Shukla (@KasualShukla) April 16, 2017

Maiden Superseries title for @saiprneeth92💪! All hail the #SingaporeSS champion! Remarkable achievement✌️ pic.twitter.com/sClqiXi1Ih

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) April 16, 2017

THAT’S IT THEN! 
Sai Praneeth wins his maiden Super Series title after beating Kidambi Srikanth: 17-21, 21-17, 21-12

What an outstanding performance by the 24-year-old Praneeth as he takes the match away from Kidambi by showing his attacking prowess in the second and third game to win the elusive Singapore Open title! 

That jump smash takes Praneeth to 18-11 as he is just 3 points shy of lifting his maiden Super Series title of his career!

17-10! @saiprneeth92 is just 4 points away from winning his maiden Super Series title

LIVE: https://t.co/SpBu0JmZVL #SingaporeSS

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) April 16, 2017

15-7! Now an eight-point advantage is a very good lead when it comes to finals. The body language of Praneeth tells us everything about his desire to win his maiden Super Series title in Singapore

13-7! Praneeth is forcing Kidambi to play tight net shots and it is working at the moment.

11-5! @saiprneeth92 starts the third and final game confidently against a defensive Kidambi

LIVE: https://t.co/SpBu0JmZVL

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) April 16, 2017

9-3! Praneeth is proving to be too hot to handle with his intelligent selection of shots. That crosscourt was just outstanding!

Praneeth has taken a brilliant 6-3 lead to break Kidambi’s rhythm in the third and final game.

Splendid turnaround by @SaiPraneeth, seals the second game 21-17. #SingaporeSS

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) April 16, 2017

Sai Praneeth wins second game: 21-17

Amazing fight back from the Canada Open winner as he turns the game from being 1-6 down to win the game 21-17 and force the match into a DECIDER! This is what Kashyap was talking about when he said that Praneeth’s shot selection towards the end of the game is just unmatchable! 

17-19! Superb net play this time from Kidambi

17-15! Brilliant net play by Praneeth there to put Kidambi on the back foot. Need more of this to take the second game!

14-13! Praneeth allows Kidambi to play forehand shots from near the net which is more or less like digging your own grave. Kidambi, on the other hand, has stayed composed and is not in a hurry to play his shots

.@saiprneeth92 wins 10 of the last 14 points to lead 11-10 in the second game. Will he make a comeback?

LIVE: https://t.co/SpBu0JmZVL pic.twitter.com/exuinceOh5

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) April 16, 2017

10-10! Both shuttlers have now decided to take an attacking approach going into the crucial second game. It’s anyone’s game from here but Praneeth has to attack from the forecourt and not from the basepoint.

8-8! It's neck and neck in the second game as Praneeth tries to unsettle Kidambi with a few smashes

LIVE: https://t.co/SpBu0JmZVL

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) April 16, 2017

7-4! It’s Kidambi this time around who is finding an angle and executing his jump shot accurately to put some pressure over Praneeth. He knows that if Praneeth takes advantage of the second game, it would be very difficult to come back.

The second game gets underway!

Kidambi takes the opening game 21-17, in the All-Indian showdown. #SingaporeSS

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) April 16, 2017

Kidambi Srikanth claims first game: 21-17

Known for making a slow start to the match, Kidambi started off well against fellow Indian Sai Praneeth by taking a healthy lead at the break and almost maintaining it towards the end of the game. Kidambi’s footwork has been noteworthy so far as Praneeth is tested at the other half of the court.

What a rally! 17-20

Praneeth completely outmanoeuvres Kidambi in that tiring rally to save TWO game points. Now, this is where the 24-year-old is unbeatable. He just needs an angle to deliver a drop shot.

14-15! That’s a brilliant forehand crosscourt by Praneeth as he forces Kidambi towards his left tramline. Praneeth has been brilliant throughout the tournament just because of his offensive skills but he would need a mixture of both attack and defence to upset the former India Open winner

14-9! Kidambi is a monster when it comes to tiring rallies as he, like Carolina Marin, tends to drain his opponent by pushing them towards the basepoint.

Some fierce smashes by @srikidambi, takes the lead to 13-7.
#SingaporeSS

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) April 16, 2017

11-7! @srikidambi leads at the interval in the first game against @saiprneeth92

LIVE: https://t.co/SpBu0JmZVL pic.twitter.com/txXx3TbpHd

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) April 16, 2017

9-6! Excellent jump smash by Kidambi takes allows him to take a three-point gap before the interval of the first game. Kidambi started off defensively but he has now been able to read Praneeth’s movements.

5-5!
As Parupalli Kashyap mentioned earlier, Praneeth’s strokes and forehand drives are his best skills and nobody in the Indian badminton circuit can match it. And he is showing the same against Kidambi.
“I wish I had half as many strokes as he had. He has such supple wrists that he can change his shots at the last moment”, said Kashyap

Sai Praneeth takes the serve and leads 2-1 in the first game!

Kidambi Srikanth vs Sai Praneeth
​
It’s the all-Indian clash between the World no. 29 and World no. 30 in the final of the men’s singles. Both Kidambi and Praneeth have faced each other on five occasions where the latter leads 4-1 and will look to put his hands on his maiden Super Series title! 

Kamillia Rytter Juhl / Christinna Pedersen wins mixed doubles title: 21-18, 14-21, 21-15

It’s their fifth overall and first Super Series title of the year for the Danish pair as they beat top-seed Japanese duo Misaki Matsutomo, Ayaka Takahashi in three games. They played a tactical game to make a comeback in the decider and successfully unsettle their opponents!  

Puff up your chest and swell with pride! Get ready to witness the All-India final at the #SingaporeSS between @saiprneeth92 & @srikidambi. pic.twitter.com/kpI9thdMbs

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) April 16, 2017

Lu Kai / Huang Yaqiong beat Dechapol Puavaranukroh / Sapsiree Taerattanachai: 19-21, 21-16, 21-11

After a closely fought battle in the first game, the Chinese pair turned the tables with some swift moves to win their second mixed doubles title of 2017 in three games. 

Fixtures:

Lu Kai, Huang Yaqiong VS Dechapol Puavaranukroh, Sapsiree Taerattanachai – Mixed Doubles

Misaki Matsutomo, Ayaka Takahashi VS Kamillia Rytter Juhl, Christinna Pedersen – Women’s Doubles

Sai Praneeth VS Kidambi Srikanth – Men’s Singles

Tai Tzu Ying VS Carolina Marin – Women’s Singles

Mathias Boe, Carsten Mogensen VS Li Junhui, Liu Yuchen – Men’s Doubles

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Singapore Open Super Series finals as Kidambi Srikanth locks horns with compatriot Sai Praneeth in an all-Indian men’s singles final whereas Carolina Marin eyes Malaysia Open revenge in the women’s singles final. Get ready to cheer for your favourite shuttlers as the action-packed matches are just moments away!