India’s Uber Cup campaign ends

PV Sindhu and Isharani Baruah wasted several opportunities as India’s Uber Cup campaign ended with a 0-5 defeat to holders China in Horsens, Denmark on Monday. China and Denmark progressed to the next stage from Group A. While China won all three matches, Denmark won two and lost one, India won one and lost two. The fourth team in Group A, Ukraine, lost all three matches.The result was more or less clear after India lost 2-3 to Denmark on the first day. In the must-win match against China, India replaced Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma with Isharani Baruah and Devika Sihag in singles.Sindhu squandered an 1812 lead in the decider to lose 16-21, 21-19, 19-21 to Wang Zhi Yi. The world No. 1 pair of Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning made short of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra 21-11, 21-8. In a crucial contest, Isharani nearly won the first game before missing a sitter at 20-19 against Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei. The Chinese world No. 4 did not give another chance and wrapped it up at 22-20, 21-13.Tanisha Crasto and Kavipriya Selvam gave a good account of themselves before losing 10-21, 21-12, 19-21 to Luo Xu Min and Zhang Shu Xian.Pitted against world No. 97 Xu Weng Jing, Devika lost 2119, 17-21, 10-21. Former national coach Vimal Kumar said that the Indian girls failed to capitalise on the opportunities they were handed. “Isharani had Chen Yu Fei on the ropes but let her off. Repeatedly leaving shuttles that are landing well inside the baseline and basic errors at the net is not bad luck, it’s poor judgement under pressure,” Vimal said, adding that it was the same story against Denmark.“Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma had their chances against Denmark but they didn’t take them. At the highest level, you either convert or you exit,” he added.