Indian badminton star PV Sindhu lost the women's badminton singles final at Rio Olympics 2016 and settled for silver medal.
After winning the first game 21-19, she failed keep the momentum against the world number one Carolina Marin of Spain.
The 21-year-old lost the match 21-19 12-21 15-21 in 80 minutes of grueling badminton.
Sindhu thus became the youngest Indian individual medallist at Olympics, besides being the first woman silver medallist.
GAME 3
Sindhu 15 - 21 Marin: A good match comes to an end with Carolina Marin surviving PV Sindhu's challenge. She thus became the first European gold medallist in women's singles competition.
Sindhu 14 - 20 Marin: Six match points for Marin.
Sindhu 14 - 19 Marin: Then, a very poor service return from PV Sindhu.
Sindhu 14 - 18 Marin: Another mistake from Marin, this time from her forehand flick.
But PV Sindhu continued with her rather lame looking centre court play, allowing Marin to go for smash shots every now and then.
Sindhu 13 - 16 Marin: A lucky point, dangled on the net. PV Sindhu, now, trailing by three points, floored Marin with a killer smash on the right. Review requested, and point to the Spaniard. OUT.
Then, Marin missed her over-head smash.
Sindhu 11 - 15 Marin: A brave challenge from Marin to get to three points lead. The shuttle seemed to have the sidelines, but upon review, it's shown touching it.
PV Sindhu won the next point, to reduce the lead to three points.
Sindhu 10 - 13 Marin: Lame! PV Sindhu allowed Carolina Marin to dictate the terms. The Indian shuttler gently lofts her relays.
Two successive points for the Spaniard.
Sindhu 10 - 11 Marin: Carolina Marin won the next point thanks to a PV Sindhu long shot. TIME-OUT.
Sindhu 10 - 10 Marin: Brilliant play from PV Sidhu to bring to 10-10 after trailing by more than six points at one time.
She took her time to wait for the loose play and Marin finally concedes some ground.
Sindhu 8 - 9 Marin: Two brilliant points for Sindhu. First a back-hand flick of top class, then a tight pick-up in the net before forcing an error to her opponent.
Sindhu 6 - 9 Marin: PV Sindhu is stuck with her usual play, of attacking from the baseline. But Carolina Marin is a different beast. She covers well, then thanks to being a left hander, got that extra angle when playing those inside out smashes.
But two points in succession for the Indian shuttler, to reduce the gap to 6-9.
Sindhu 4 - 7 Marin: For the first time in a long long time, PV Sindhu took the charge and a smash to kill off.
Then, an error of judgment on her backhand to give the point away to Sindhu.
But, she has since changed the tactics. A clean smash.
Sindhu 2 - 6 Marin: World number one Carolina Marin is toying with PV Sindhu. The usual tactics — forced a net play then kill off with a smash, yes, with occasional misses on the line.
Sindhu 1 - 5 Marin: PV Sindhu played on the line, and lost the control. Another unforced error from the Indian, then another easy finish from Spaniard. Complete contrast.
Sindhu 1 - 2 Marin: Another easy point to the Spaniard, then a long relay with PV Sindhu ending it with a smash into the her opponent's body.
Sindhu 0 - 1 Marin: As usual, the first point of the new game to Carolina Marin. PV Sindhu continues to play from the back-foot, without control.
GAME 2
Sindhu 12 - 21 Marin: What a deceptive cross-cross drop shot from Carolina Marin. PV Sindhu could have easily gone for the pick, but the Indian was undone by the flight.
Then, on the game point, Marin played another cross court push to level the match.
Sindhu 11 - 19 Marin: Two back-to-back points for PV Sindhu to reduce the gap to seven points. Carolina Marin committed couple of unforced errors.
But the Spaniard won the 19th point thanks to an error from Sindhu.
Sindhu 9 - 18 Marin: Marin, as everybody knows, continues to win points in a stretch. Now leads by nine points.
Sindhu 9 - 16 Marin: Sindhu, in her bid to play long relays, left her front court unattended, allowing Marin to play drop shots.
Marin, thus, continues to play her power shots. And points coming that way.
But Sindhu, forced to respond the power play, played her first shot.
Sindhu 7 - 14 Marin: Good challenge from Sindhu. Earned a point thanks to a review, following a close call from Marin's long return which seemed to have caught the baseline.
Another net point to Marin. Then, second shot into the body. Sindhu is playing for every point.
Sindhu 5 - 13 Marin: Body blow from Sindhu. Shuttle hits face, then a long relay ensued ending with Sindhu sending the shuttle into the net.
Sindhu's got some complaining to do, probably against Marin's shouting.
Sindhu 4 - 12 Marin: Finally a point for Sindhu as Marin let the shuttle fall inside the court. Another point for Sindhu as Marin played long a four-shot relay.
Marin won another net play, with a gentle push.
Sindhu 2 - 11 Marin: Sindhu is playing into Marin's tune. Forced to play net play, even as Marin increases the tempo of the game.
Another killer smash after a brilliant setup from the Spaniard.
Sindhu 2 - 8 Marin: Sindhu hurried her tap into the net, and another point to Marin. Another one to Marin as Sindhu continues to make error of judgments.
One way traffic in the second game.
Sindhu 2 - 6 Marin: Brilliant feign shot from Marin. She draws Sindhu near net and plays a drop shot to take 6-1 lead. Then, Marin crashed her retrieval into the net.
Sindhu 1 - 4 Marin: Another missed from Sindhu at net. The shuttle failed to take the flight and four point lead for the Spaniard. Sindhu won her first point, thanks to a long push from Marin.
Sindhu 0 - 3 Marin: Carolina Marin take early leads with neat net play.
GAME 1
Sindhu 21 - 19 Marin: Another fickle push from the Spaniard and game point to Sindhu. Then, she utilised entire court to her advantage with lofted relays and Marin missed her backhand reply. And first game to Sindhu.
Sindhu 19 - 19 Marin: A fickle push into the net from Marin, and point to Sindhu. Another missed play on the quarter third and Sindhu equaled.
Sindhu 17 - 19 Marin: The world number one took her time, played to her strengths by opening the court and finished the relay with a smash.
But the Indian girl responded with purpose, winning a point as Marin played long.
Sindhu 16 - 18 Marin: Probably the relay of the competition. And Sindhu waited for the long flight. Both the players played with precision and will to outlast each other, but it was the Indian who won the point at last.
Then, a review from Marin and it showed the shuttle missing the baseline. Point to Marin.
Sindhu 15 - 17 Marin: Then, out of nowhere, Marin played a low smash shot, into Sindhu's body. Point to the Spaniard.
Sindhu 15 - 16 Marin: A long play from Marin and Sindhu reduced the gap to 13-15, but the Indian player hurried her play, and into the net.
Then, the service fault from Marin. 14-16.Then another point to Sindhu as Marin failed to cross the net.
Sindhu 12 - 15 Marin: A silly mistake from Marin, followed by lame response from the India. Sindhu anticipated a smash on her forehand, but the shuttle came her right.
Sindhu, however, managed to win the next point.
Sindhu 10 - 14 Marin: A unforced error from Marin, at the net, then the same error from the India. She tried a backhand flick, but the shuttle crashed into the net.
Sindhu 9 - 13 Marin: It's usual game from Marin. Winning points in a stretch and losing them at once. Sindhu got back-to-back points.
But the Indian shuttler failed to gain further inroads, losing a tight rally at the net.
Sindhu 8 - 12 Marin: Another right call from Marin. But Sindhu got the next point, thanks to a similar mistake from her opponent.
Then, Marin killed off a net play, or, was it an infringement. Point to Sindhu.
Sindhu 6 - 10 Marin: Then, another net play of highest quality from the Spaniard. Sindhu failed to read the flight and missed the play at near post. And Time-Out.
Sindhu 6 - 9 Marin: Both the players are missing their long pushes, but the Spaniard got advantage at net play thanks to her better coverage and of course the difficult angle that she creates.
Marin, after losing a quick point, played a beautifully executed deceptive shot at the net.
Sindhu 4 - 7 Marin: Another brilliant call from Carolina Marin to let the shuttle fly away. PV Sindhu flight missed the baseline. Three pours lead for world number one.
Sindhu 3 - 5 Marin: Three points lead for Marin with Sindhu committing unforced errors. But a wide push from the Spaniard allowed the Indian shuttler to break the flow.
Sindhu 2 - 3 Marin: Risky play form Sindhu. She tried to force an error in her opponent's backhand, but the shuttle misses the line. And one point lead to Marin.
Sindhu 0 - 1 Marin: Service to Carolina Marin and the first point to the Spaniard.
19:33 PM IST: Players are out, and getting final preparations before the big match. PV Sindhu in yellow, while Marin is in red. For the first time in five Olympics, there will be no Chinese player in women's singles final.
Sindhu vs Marin: And here's the paths to the final
Sindhu's path to final:
beat Laura Sarosi (HUN) 2:0
beat Michelle Li (CAN) 2:1
beat Tzu Ying Tai (TPE) 2:0
beat Yihan Wang (CHN) 2:0
beat Nozomi Okuhara (JPN) 2:0
Marin's path to final:
beat Nanna Vainio (FIN) 2:0
beat Line Kjaersfeldt (DEN) 2:0
beat Ji Hyun Sung (KOR) 2:0
beat Xuerui Li (CHN) 2:0
19:26 PM IST: London Olympics bronze medallist Chen Long beats Victor Axelsen in the semis, 21-14, 21-15 in 28 minutes. He plays Lee Chong Wei in the final.
19:13 PM IST: Time-out. Two-time world champion and number two Chen Long leads Victor Axelsen 11-8 in the second game.
Sindhu vs Marin: Here are the key facts ahead of the match:
PV Sindhu (IND)
Age: 21
Height: 179cm
World Rank: 10
Style: Attacking game, but there was visible glitches during her semi-final win
Carolina Marin (ESP)
Age: 23
Height: 172cm
World Rank: 1
Style: Attacking
Head-to-head:
Played 6: Marin 4, PV Sindhu 2; latest in Hong Kong won by Marin in straight games.
19: 00 PM IST: Chen Long takes the first game 21-14 in 23 minutes over Victor Axelsen in Men's Singles Semi-final 2.
18:45 PM IST: Nozomi Okuhara of Japan wins bronze medal after Xuerui Li of China concedes walk-over. The Chinese girl picked up an injury during her semi-final match against Carolina Marin yesterday.
18:35 PM IST: The Lind Dan-Lee Ching Wei rivalry is often compared to the one tennis witnessed between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
They have played the last two Olympics finals, with Lin Dan winning both times. It was the trend in hosts of other big finals, including Asian Games and World Championships.
But the Malaysian performed just enough to have his first big win over the Chinese. He will now play the winner of two young players Victor Axelsen of Denmark and Chen Long of China in the final.
18:30 PM IST: COMING UP! Victor Axelsen vs Chen Long in the Men's Singles Semi-final 2 after 79 minute long classic.
18:27 PM IST: But Lin Dan failed to save the fourth match point, and it gives third successive final to Lee Chong Wei. And most importantly, a change of fortunes for the Malaysian world number one against his great rival.
He won the match 15-21, 21-11, 22-20.
18:25 PM IST: An unforced error for Lee Chong Wei to give Lin Dan a point, but the Super Dane committed an error on the net. Match point to Lee Chong Wei.
Then Lin Dan saved three match points, to level things at 20-20.
18:10 PM IST: In the first Men's Singles Semi-final Lin Dan took the first game 21-15, then Lee Chong Wei responded strongly, taking the second game 21-11. It's 11-11 after 21 minutes in the third game. Sindhu's final match will be after the two semi-finals.
New Delhi: PV Sindhu takes on World No.1 Carolina Marin is undoubtedly the biggest game of her career so far.
The Indian has showcased spectacular form at the tournament, beating formidable higher-ranked opponents.
In the semi-final, the 21-year-old played perhaps her best match of the Olympics as she brushed aside the Japanese shuttler.
Key information
Date: August 19, Friday
Time: 18;55 PM IST
TV listing: Star Sports Network
Live streaming: Hotstar
