A Golden Show by PV Sindhu Earns India a Historic Silver

The first Indian woman to win a silver at the biggest stage - the Olympics!

She fought hard and she fought well.

Facing a player ranked 9 places above her in the world standings, PV Sindhu fought the women’s singles finale like the champion the entire country had waited for.

But on the day, it just wasn’t enough.

Carolina Marin lost the first game but made a strong comeback in the remaining two as Sindhu was forced to settle for a silver in the women’s singles event of the Rio Olympics.

The final scoreline read 21-19 12-21 15-21.

Sindhu thus became the fourth Indian to win a silver at the Olympics after shooters Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (2004, Athens) and Vijay Kumar (2012, London) and wrestler Sushil Kumar (2012, London).

The two-time World championship bronze medallist also became the fifth female athlete from India to win a medal in the Olympics. And the first to clinch a silver. Weightlifter Karnam Malleshwari (2000, Sydney), boxer MC Mary Kom (2012, London), shuttler Saina Nehwal (2012, London) and wrestler Sakshi Malik (Rio, 2016) are the others to have finished on the podium for the country.

Game One

Playing to her ranking and a very partisan crowd, Marin grabbed a 11-8 lead at the interval of the opening game. Sindhu could not vary the pace of the rallies even as her opponent came with some razor-sharp net play to extend the lead to 15-11 at one stage. A net error and a long shot gave Sindhu two points to narrow the gap and she kept breathing down the neck of the Spaniard till 15-17.

Sindhu, then, engaged Marin in an engrossing rally and grabbed a point with Marin hitting the ‘bird’ out. The Indian lost a video referral to allow Marin open up a two-point lead again at 18-16. A short lift by Sindhu was converted into a winner as Marin led 19-16.

Marin hit two wide shots and also struggled with a net dribble as Sindhu clawed back to 19-19 and then grabbed the lead for the first time when Marin found the net. The Indian then made an exceptional comeback and pushed the shuttle to the back court which the Spaniard failed to return and she let out a war cry. The first game was won 21-19.

Game Two

Marin came up all cylinders blazing in the second game and surged to a 4-0 lead. Sindhu could not draw her rival into rallies and also struggled with her forehand flicks as Marin entered the break with a massive 11-2 lead.

After the interval, Sindhu tried to break Marin’s rhythm but the Spaniard was always a step ahead as she dominated the rallies and came up with some surgical cross court slices and smashes to lead 17-9.

Sindhu was erratic with her stokes and it was one such down-the-line smash that took Marin to 19-12. An over-the-head return from the baseline helped the Spanish girl reach game point and she sealed it next with a drop to the forecourt.

Game Three

Marin continued to dominate the rallies with her speed and accuracy in the decider, blowing holes in Sindhu’s defence to take a 6-1 lead.

The Indian grabbed a few points with a cross-court return, a down-the-line smash and a backhand flick from over the head. Marin also gifted a couple of points by finding the the net as Sindhu closed down the lead to 8-9.

A long shot by Sindhu was followed by a body smash before the Indian closed a long rally in her favour to draw parity at 10-10. Marin, however, once again entered the break with a slender 11-10 lead.

Marin extended the lead to 14-10 but a fighting Sindhu never gave up and narrowed the gap to 14-16 with the Spaniard committed some unforced errors.

In the end, a superb cross court drop caught Sindhu off guard as Marin reached match point at 201-4. The Indian saved one when her rival hit long but she failed to negotiate a return off the next as Marin screamed her heart out and sprawled on the court.

(With inputs from PTI)