Sindhu and Saena to clash in Singapore Open 2022 semi-finals

PV Sindhu, seeded third, had to go the distance against feisty Chinese World No. 19 shuttler Han Yue in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open 2022 to finally manage to book a clash with Saena Kawakami of Japan, in the semi-finals of the BWF Super 500 tournament.

A 2-time Olympic medallist, Sindhu had to dig deep against Yue in a see-saw match that saw her getting the better of the 22-year-old in 62 minutes, where the World No. 7 Indian won, 17-21, 21-11, 21-19 to storm into the semi-finals.

Awaiting Sindhu in the last four will be Saena Kawakami of Japan - a player Sindhu has already met twice in her career earlier and holds a 2-0 advantage over, as well.

Their last meeting was at the 2018 China Open where Sindhu had won, 15-21, 13-21 and the first one was at the India Open, where Sindhu had her way at, 16-21, 21-13.

The 24-year-old Saena thrashed Thai sensation Pornpawee Chochuwong, the sixth-seed in the quarterfinal clash, 21-17, 21-19 to set up a date with PV Sindhu in the semis.

Meanwhile Saina Nehwal, who is on a comeback run, contested a thrilling quarterfinal, her first in the last 15 months, against Japan's Aya Ohori that also went the length.

Saina Nehwal was the first to reach match point and even had two opportunities but she could not capitalise as Ohori turned on the heat to defeat the former World No. 1 and Olympic bronze medallist in a heartbreaking fashion, 13-21, 21-15, 22-20.

With this, the dream match-up of Saina Nehwal vs PV Sindhu will need to wait, at least at the Singapore Open.