India draws blank in Mixed Doubles event of Badminton Asia Championships 2012
It was a wrap for India in Mixed Doubles event of Badminton Asia Championships as none of their teams could proceed into quarter-finals and crashed out of second round on April 19, 2012.
The biggest Indian hope Jwala Gutta-Diju V fell face-down against Sa Rang Kim-Hye In Choi while second Mixed Doubles team Akshay Dewalkar-Pradnya Gadre surrendered against Wai Hong Wong-Hoi Wah Chau of Hong Kong.
This loss may also jeopardised country’s stakes in 2012 London Olympics as its top duo of V Diju-Jwala Gutta is in Olympic qualification period and they must maintain their current World Number 16 status to secure a berth in mega event.
In their second round match of Asian Championships the Mixed Doubles experts V Diju and Jwala Gutta could not live up to their billing and had to face a woeful exit after reading final scores of 14-21, 21-11 and 17-21.
Their inexperienced but spirited challengers Rang Kim-Hye In cornered them in most part of the 42-minute tussle and deprived them of a quarter-final seat.
In first set of the match, the Koreans gained an eight-point advantage before the interval and kept the Indians at lower end in later half of the set. They set the foundation of their victory by clinching first match point with 21-14 score on the board.
National number one couple Diju V-Jwala Gutta managed to stay in the game by winning following set with an impressive total of 21-11 but they disappointed their supporters with their below par performance in the decider.
The Korean campaigners ruled the court in final set of the match and sealed their splendid victory by registering decisive margin of 21-17 in score log.
Meanwhile, last hope of India was also buried when the duo of Akshay Dewalkar and Pradnya Gadre could not forge a fruitful chemistry against Wai Hong Wong-Hoi Wah Chau and booked a ticket home.
Hong Kong shuttlers dazzled them with lustrous performance and snatched the victory in just two games which lasted for 27 minutes.
In opening game, the Indians put a great resistance and lost after putting a decent total of 19 points but they proved sitting ducks in second game as their rivals hunted them with great ease.
Akshay and Pradnya surrendered after reading 7-21 score on the board and it was end of road for India in Mixed Doubles event.
Tags: