Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal on Friday was knocked out of the ongoing Korea Open 2018 after she lost against Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in Seoul.
A three-set game that lasted for 59 minutes, fifth-seeded lost 21-15, 15-21, 20-22 against her Japanese counterpart. In the first set, both Nehwal and Okuhara remained neck-in-neck for the initial nine points. However, Nehwal went on to win against third-seeded Okuhara.
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In the second set, Okuhara led 11-8 and headed forward to dominate the proceedings to close the set and take the match to the decider. The decider, however, saw a dramatic finish with Nehwal earning the match point first and leading over Okuhara but the consecutive losses of points ultimately brought Okuhara to close the set and win the match.
Taking it to Twitter, Nehwal wrote, “Tried my level best today but couldn’t convert after 20-16 in third set … will prepare better for next one .. lost to nozomi okuhara in three games 21-13, 15-21, 20-22…#koreaopensuper500 (quarterfinal).”
Tried my level best today but couldn’t convert after 20-16 in third set … will prepare better for next one .. lost to nozomi okuhara in three games 21-13 ,15-21, 20-22 ..#koreaopensuper500 (quarterfinal) pic.twitter.com/8MtfnRfvO3
— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) September 28, 2018
With Nehwal’s loss, India’s campaign at the Korea Open 2018 has also come to an end.