I am ready for Ratchanok Intanon challenge, says shuttler PV Sindhu

Having made it to her maiden semi-finals of a Super Series event in India, PV Sindhu today said she is happy with her progress in the ongoing India Open and is looking forward towards making the most of it, when she faces World No 6 Ratchanok Intanon here on Saturday.

Sindhu on Friday defeated Yui Hashimoto of Japan 21-16 21-16 to enter the last four stage of the women's singles event.

"I am happy to have made it to the semi-final. This is the first time I have entered the semifinals of a Super Series event in India and my second overall. I would be hoping to do well tomorrow," said Sindhu.

The 17-year-old said it would be a tough match against the Thai girl on Saturday.

"She is one of the best players in the world. She is my senior. It is going to be a tough match, but I am ready for it," she said.

Talking about her today's quarterfinals against Hashimoto, who had beaten Saina Nehwal yesterday, Sindhu said the Japanese lost because of her mistake.

"Japanese girls play a lot of rallies and even I play a lot of rallies. There were a number of rallies happening today also and I won because she made mistakes," explained Sindhu.

In the first game, Sindhu was leading 19-7 before Hashimoto bagged nine straight points to make it 16-19 but the Hyderabadi girl said she kept her patience.

"Even while I was leading, I was not over-confident. There have been many matches where I had been leading but then conceded from there on. So I was not over-confident. But when she was winning points, I was patient and I was just saying to myself..."come one it is just a matter of one point break," elaborated Sindhu.

Sindhu said she was happy to be entering the quarters and semi-final of the big tournaments more frequently.

"Earlier, I was losing in first round matches but it is not the case any more. So that's good. Though it's good to be losing also sometimes as you learn more from it."

She quickly went on to add,"That doesn't mean that you should lose."

Asking if she had missed playing Saina in the quarters, which would have been their first clash in a tournament had the world no. 2 won her match yesterday, Sindhu said,"May be next time."