PV Sindhu vs Nitchaon Jindapol, Asian Games 2018 Badminton Quarterfinals Highlights: PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal Secure 2 Medals For India; Enter Semis

Saina Nehwal defeated Ratchanok Intanon, while PV Sindhu beat Nitchaon Jindapol to enter the women's singles quarterfinals at the 2018 Asian Games on Sunday. After a disappointing show put up by the Indian men in the singles badminton event of the 2018 Asian Games, all eyes will be on PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal in the women's singles quarterfinals on Day 8. After surviving a scare in the round of 32 clash against Vietnam's Thi Trang Vu, Olympic and World Championship silver medallist Sindhu thrashed Indonesia's world number 22 Gregoria Mariska Tunjung 21-12, 21-15 in the pre-quarters on Saturday. Commonwealth Games gold medallist Saina dispatched another local girl Fitriani Fitriani, ranked 40th, 21-6, 21-14.

Saina will face Thailand's fourth seed Ratchanok Intanon, while Sindhu will take on Thailand's Nitchaon Jindapol to book their respective slots in the semifinals. Going into the quarters, both Sindhu and Saina have been in sublime touch and will be looking to add to their medal tally in Indonesia. However, India's biggest medal hope in badminton is undoubtedly PV Sindhu, who at the age of 23 is already one of the top players in the women's singles circuit.

Highlights of Asian Games 2018 badminton match of PV Sindhu vs Nitchaon Jindapol Straight From Jakarta, Indonesia

14:24 IST: PV Sindhu beats Nitchaon Jindapol  21-11, 16-21, 21-14 to enter semi-finals.

14:54 IST: Match point for Sindhu.

14:53 IST: Sindhu has a smile on her face. She is just two points away from entering semifinals and assuring herself a medal.

14:52 IST: Two back-to back points for Sindhu. She leads 18-13.

14:51 IST: Another forced error from  Nitchaon Jindapol. Point for Sindhu.

14:50 IST: PV Sindhu has a three-point lead against Nitchaon Jindapol.

14:49 IST: Nitchaon Jindapol jumps and smashes brilliantly to gather a point. She still trails 12-14.

14:46 IST: Two- back-to-back points for Nitchaon Jindapol. Sindhu still leads 13-10 in the decider.

14:44 IST: PV Sindhu leads 11-7 at mid-break in third game vs Nitchaon Jindapol in women's singles quarter-finals

14:42 IST: Three back-to-back points for Sindhu. She leads the final game 9-7.

14:40 IST: Point for Sindhu. The Indian now leads 8-7.

14:39 IST: Another forced error from Nitchaon Jindapol. It's 7-7 now.

14:38 IST: Point for Sindhu. She still trails 6-7 in the decider.

14:35 IST: Nitchaon Jindapol stars off brilliantly in the third and final game. She leads PV Sindhu 4-2.

14:30 IST: PV Sidhu loses second game 16-21 to Nitchaon Jindapol. The match goes into a decider.

14:29 IST: Excellent cross court smash from Nitchaon Jindapol. She leads 19-16.

14:28 IST: Three back-to-back points for Sindhu. She draws level to 16-16. What a comeback from the Rio Olympics silver medallist.

14:25 IST: Nitchaon Jindapol has a two-point lead against PV Sindhu. Can the Indian make a comeback?

14:24 IST: Wonderful smash from Sindhu. Point for her. She leads 13-12.

14:22 IST: PV Sindhu leads 11-8 at mid-break in second game vs Nitchaon Jindapol

14:19 IST: Sindhu takes the lead now. She wins two back-to-back points, leads 10-8 now.

14:17 IST: Brilliant comeback from Nitchaon Jindapo. She wins back-to-back points and takes a 8-7 lead in second game vs Sindhu.

14:14 IST: Three back-to-back points for Sindhu. She leads 7-4 now.

14:11 IST: Point for Nitchaon Jindapol. Sindhu leads second game 3-2.

14:10 IST: PV Sindhu Wins First Game 21-11 vs Nitchaon Jindapol

14:05 IST: Sindhu wins two back-to-back points. She has a eight-point lead in the opening game vs Nitchaon Jindapol.

14:04 IST: Point for Sindhu. She leads 16-10.

14:03 IST: Sindhu has a six-point lead in the opening game.

13:59 IST: PV Sindhu leads 11-7 at mid-break in the opening game against Nitchaon Jindapol.

13:57 IST: Two back-to-back points for Sindhu. She has a three-point lead against Nitchaon Jindapol in the opening game.

13:55 IST: Point for Sindhu. She leads 5-4.

13:54 IST: Two back-to-back points for Nitchaon. She makes it 4-4.

13:52 IST: Brilliant start from Sindhu. She leads 3-1 in the opening game.

13:50 IST: Wait is over!! India's star shuttler PV Sindhu is in action against Nitchaon Jindapol.

13:18 IST: Another mouth-watering clash coming up - PV Sindhu vs Nitchaon Jindapol.

13:17 IST: Saina made history by giving India their first Asiad women's singles individual medal. This will also be the first individual medal since Syed Modi's bronze in 1982.

13:15 IST: Saina Nehwal beats Ratchanok Intanon 21-18, 21-16 to enter semi-finals

13:13 IST: Match point for Saina Nehwal.

13:12 IST: Smash from Ratchanok Intanon. Saina still leads 19-15.

13:11 IST: Saina Nehwal two point away from entering semi-finals.

13:10 IST: Another point for Saina. 

13:09 IST: Four-point lead for Saina.

13:07 IST: Superb smash from Saina. She leads 15-11. Ratchanok Intanon fails to judge this one.

13:05 IST: Saina Nehwal leads 11-9 at mid-break in second game.

13:04 IST: Saina jumps and smash and gets a point. She has taken a three-point lead once again. 10-7

13:03 IST: Back-to-back points for Ratchanok Intanon. Saina leads 8-7 in the second game.

13:01 IST: Saina has a three-point lead vs Ratchanok Intanon.

13:00 IST: Forced error from Ratchanok Intanon. Point for Saina. Saina leads 6-2 in the second game.

12:59 IST: Brilliant start from Saina Nehwal in the second game. She leads 4-1 in the second game vs Ratchanok Intanon.

12:58 IST: Saina looking aggressive in the second game.

12:55 IST: Both shuttlers are ready for the second game. Can Saina Nehwal register a straight game win to enter the semifinals?

12:54 IST: Saina Nehwal wins first game 21-18 vs Ratchanok Intanon

12:52 IST: Saina Nehwal takes 19-18 lead vs Ratchanok Intanon.

12:51 IST: Wonderful smash from Ratchanok Intanon. Its 18-18 now.

12:50 IST: Another point for Saina. She exults with this point. 17-17 now.

12:49 IST: Five points in a row for Saina. She makes it 16-17 now. What a comeback from the Indian star shuttler.

12:48 IST: Three back-to-back points for Saina. She still trails 14-17.

12:46 IST: Excellent jump smash from Ratchanok Intanon. Saina has no reply to this. Ratchanok Intanon leads 17-11

12:46 IST: Great net play from Ratchanok Intanon. She has won back-to-back points. She leads 16-10 in the opening game.

12:45 IST: Excellent work from Ratchanok Intanon.

12:44 IST: Point for Saina. She still trails 10-14 in the opening game.

12:42 IST: One more point for Saina Nehwal.

12:41 IST: Forced error from Ratchanok Intanon. Saina gets a point. the Indian still trails 7-13 in the opening game.

12:38 IST: Ratchanok Intanon leads 11-3 at mid-break vs Saina Nehwal

12:37 IST: Forced error from Saina. Point for Intanon. Saina still trails 3-10 in the opening game.

12:36 IST: Excellent start from Intanon. She leads 8-3 against Saina in the opening game.

12:33 IST: Intanon has taken a four-point lead against Saina early in the game.

12:30 IST: The quarterfinals match between Saina and Ratchanok Intanon starts.

12:08 IST: Spectacular show by Chinese Taipei's Tzuying Tai. She beats Japan's Nozomi Okuhara 21-15, 21-10 to enter semi-finals.

11:45 IST: Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei's Tzuying Tai is all over Japan's Nozomi Okuhara. Tai has won the first game 21-15.

11:33 IST: Commonwealth Games gold medallist Saina dispatched local girl Fitriani Fitriani, ranked 40th, 21-6, 21-14 to enter the quarters.

11:30 IST: Hello and welcome to the Live coverage of Asian Games 2018 women's singles badminton quarterfinal between Saina Nehwal and Ratchanok Intanon.

However, Sindhu is yet to win a singles title this year, although she made it to four finals in this season - India Open, Commonwealth Games, Thailand Open and BWF World Championships. In fact, she lost a close Commonwealth Games final to compatriot Saina Nehwal and brought home a silver medal. Her most recent loss was against Carolina Marin in the final of the BWF World Championship, her fourth loss in the summit clash of a tournament this year. It was also her second defeat in the final of World Championships as she had lost an epic final against Nozomi Okuhara at Glasgow last year.

The 23-year-old, who won a bronze medal in women's team event at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, will be certainly looking to break her final jinx and clinch her first singles title at the Asian Games this year. India haven't won a medal in women's singles at the Asian Games. Eight-time former national champion Syed Modi is the only individual medallist for India at the Asiad, having won a bronze at the 1982 New Delhi edition.