Tai Tzu Ying was touted as the only player who could stop PV Sindhu and the world number one put on an exhibition to dump the Indian out in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics semifinal.
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30 strokes! 36 seconds! In that one particular moment, a dream changed. The hopes of 1.3 billion Indians sank at that particular moment. PV Sindhu, touted as a gold medalist in Tokyo Olympics 2020, was playing inspired badminton against World No.1 Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei. The goal was very clear. Sindhu would have to beat Tai Tzu Yin to ensure her gold medal prospects became easier. Sindhu has always had the wrong side of the head-to-head advantage against Tai. The Chinese Taipei player had a 13-5 head-to-head record against Sindhu, the best among others.
Sindhu had held the earlier advantage. But, Tai knew that she had to stay in touch. In the previous couple of matches, Sindhu had established a toehold and ensured she sustained the momentum. It worked against Akane Yamaguchi. But, against Tai, it was a different proposition altogether. Tai plays some inspired badminton she is in complete rhythm. She needed just one particular moment to seize the initiative. Tai got it at a crucial time.
Sindhu had held on to her slender lead but Tai was not giving up. The crucial point of the match came when Sindhu was leading 17-16. There were some unbelievable rallies by Tai and the shots she hit troubled Sindhu no end. After 36 seconds, which seems like a lifetime in badminton, in 30 crazy shots, Tai won the point. It was 17-17. But, there was a shift in momentum.
It was like a situation when one player has been dealt a knockout blow and is trying to recuperate. Tai had dealt the killer blow to Sindhu’s momentum. By winning that point, she seized upon the situation and utilized it perfectly. Sindhu was still fighting at 18-18. But, Tai was going for the kill and she won the first game 21-18. That was the final time we would see Sindhu put up a fight.
In the second game, Tai dominated all aspects of the game. She had to take revenge in the ultimate way possible. In Rio 2016, Sindhu had dumped her out in the round of 16 clash in straight games. At that time, Sindhu and Tai were upcoming players aiming to upstage the dominance of Carolina Marin. But, five years later, the roles have changed.
The Tai of 2016 is a different beast as compared to 2021. After that loss to Sindhu in Rio, Tai won titles all over the globe. She won the All England in 2017 and defeated Marin in two straight finals in Malaysia and Singapore. She also beat Sindhu in the 208 Asian Games final to secure gold. Having gone past 100,000 points, the world was at Tai’s feet.
In the interim, she also developed her stamina and athleticism. Now, her fitness is at a different level altogether. That is what made many analysts skeptical about Sindhu’s chances against Tai. The hurt of 2016 was channeled five years later on an even bigger stage. Sindhu was undone by the class of Tai and the Chinese Taipei player won the match in straight games.
Sindhu, who had not lost a single game heading into the match, was absolutely outclassed. Her woes against Tai continued and her head-to-head record has now worsened to 5-14 against the Chinese Taipei player. In the past, Sindhu has often reached the playoff stages only to be defeated. Perhaps, one could argue at that time that big game pressure took a toll on Sindhu. But, in Tokyo Olympics 2020, there can be no further excuses. Sindhu was beaten by a brilliant opponent. She will now try for bronze, but this defeat will hurt immensely considering her high standards.
