Prannoy, the saviour for Mumbai Rockets as they trump the Hunters 2-1
HS PRANNOY, the hero for the home team Mumbai Rockets as they defeat Hyderabad Hunters 2-1 in their final home leg tie in Mumbai. This is was also the first time that a tie went to the final match to decide the winner.
First to begin the tie were men's doubles pair Tan Boon/Tan Wee up against Lee Yong/Nipitphon. As expected it was a closely fought contest between the two pairs. Though the Rockets pair were leading at the interval, the Hunters came close to levelling the scores.
But then, Lee Yon/Nipitphon were just too good with their smashes and took the first game 11-9. If the first was a neck-to-neck encounter, then the second game was completely dominant by the Rockets pair as they won with ease 11-5.
Up next was the women's singles match between Sung Ji Hyun and Carolina Marin. Another close contest of the night as the crowd cheered for every point won by their favourite shuttlers. Marin was the one under pressure but she was giving a tough fight for the Korean as she had to live up to her head-to-head count of 6-1.
With some great smashes on display, Sung Ji took the first game 11-7. In the second game, Marin slowly found her back into the match. Leading at the interval with four point difference, 6-2, she maintained that lead to win the second game 11-7. A high-octane contest here between the top women's singles shuttlers. The gripping match kept the fans on edges of their seats.
Sung Ji gave her best performance on court and the fans loved every bit of they were watching. The final game, yet another cracker and a close one, it could have gone either ways but Sung Ji was determined to take it in her favour and so she did, winning 14-12. This was the first defeat in PBL for the Spaniard.
This win doubled the scores for the Rockets 2-0. It was followed by men's singles match that saw local boy Ajay Jayaram and Rajiv Ouseph in action.
After a spicy encounter between the women's singles, the contest between Ajay and Rajiv, though a close one lacked variety and colour to it. Rajiv capitalising the mistakes of the Indian and took the first game to his name, 11-7.
The second game saw some character from Ajay as a lot was expected from him after his opening match win against Jorgensen. But towards the end of it, Rajiv got back stronger and got better of Ajay. It went in Hunters favour, 11-8.
This brought the Hunters back in the hunt as Mumbai were still leading 2-1.
A crucial match coming up for Rockets as it was their Trump played by mixed doubles duo of Lee Yong/Zieba.
And the experienced pair were tested by the Hunters pair of Satwik/Chau as once again the 16-year-old Indian showed great character with his hard hitting smashes to give the Rockets pair a run for their money. But the experienced pair won the first game 13-11. The second game was expected to be another close contest and it was just that.
The Hunters pair Satwik/Chau paved their way into the match by winning the second game 12-10 pushing into a decider. The Indo-Hong Kong pair were on fire tonight as they crashed the dreams of Mumbai to win the tie. Losing the trump meant that Mumbai lost one point and the lead this time went to the Hunters. Satwik/Chau winning the final game in extremely emphatic fashion 15-14.
Final match of the night was a Trump for the Hunters as Sameer Verma was up against HS Prannoy. Sameer in the lead at the initial stages looked like trouble for the Rockets but what incredible comeback from Prannoy to just snatch the game away in his favour, winning 11-6.
The tempo of the tie was kept alive by the singles shuttlers. Going for the kill in the second game. Prannoy absolutely stepping up his game and winning the match and the tie for his team. The second game going in favour of the Rockets 11-7.
The home team, Rockets did finish things in style to end their home leg.
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