Mumbai: Daren Liew notched up a thrilling two-game win in the second men’s singles match as Ahmedabad Smash Masters eked out a 4-1 win over Delhi Dashers in the Premier Badminton League (PBL) on Wednesday.
The first match was a mixed doubles match between Maneepong Jongjit/Lee Chia Hsin of Delhi Dashers against Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/N.Sikki Reddy of Ahmedabad Smash Masters. Rankireddy/Reddy offered a speedy start by capturing the first math in a commanding fashion with 15-11, 15-10.
Next up, Daren Liew of Smash Masters played an aggressive and stylized badminton to keep HS Prannoy scrambling all over the court in the second men’s singles match. Liew used a variety of smashes and tactics to make the Indian player very uncomfortable on the court. Liew eventually stole the Delhi Dashers’ Trump match from Prannoy with a 15-12, 15-13 win.
Meanwhile, the clash between Viktor Axelsen of Ahmedabad Smash Masters and Tommy Sugiarto of Delhi Dashers in the first men’s singles match was the battle everybody was waiting for. Sugiarto able to stage a remarkable comeback from being 10-12 down to take the opening game 15-12 before Axelsen held on to his lead to take the second game 15-10.
The decider was a one-sided affair as Sugiarto increased his tempo to wrap things up quickly by seeing off the former World No. 1 Axelsen with 15-8 to give Delhi its first win of the day.
In the trump match for Ahmedabad Smash Masters, Kirsty Gilmour who looked like she was out of idea for much of the match was in complete control of the decider, coming back from a set down to beat Evgeniya Kosetskaya 12-15, 15-12, 15-7.
The experienced Chai Biao/Wang Sijie finally helped Delhi earned a point from Wednesday’s tie by beating Reginald Lee/Satwiksairaj Rankireddy 15-9, 9-15, 15-13 in the men’s doubles match.
