Yonex Swiss Open Super 300: PV Sindhu vs Carolina Marin Preview and Prediction

Second seed PV Sindhu sets up a blockbuster showdown against top seed Carolina Marin in the finals of the Swiss Open.

Sindhu overcame the fourth seed Mia Blichfeldt beating her 22-20 21-10 in 43 minutes in the semifinals. She earned revenge for her loss to Blichfeldt in the first round of the Yonex Thailand Open in January this year.

While the first game involved intense rallies and grueling cross-court exchanges, it was one-way traffic in the second game as Sindhu took full control of the match. Out of a total of 73 rallies, the Indian won 43 of them highlighting her dominance against the Dane.

On the other hand, Marin outlasted third seed Pornpawee Chochuwong in the semis. The Spaniard won the thrilling three-game contest 21-15 20-22 21-19 in 76 minutes. 

Marin, the 2016 Olympics gold medallist failed to convert two match points in the second game as the Thai player fought relentlessly to take it to the decider. Chochuwong saved two more match points in the third game but Marin converted her fifth match point to win the clash.

Head to Head Record

Marin leads the head to head record 8-5 against Sindhu.

Key Insights

• Marin will be targetting her third title of the 2021 season.
• Sindhu will be aiming for her first title in 2021.
• The Indian is playing her first final since her triumph in the BWF World Championships in August 2019.
• Sindhu has not dropped a game yet in this tournament so far having won all her matches in two games each.
• Marin has never lost to Sindhu in a major tournament final.

Game Analysis

Marin's relentless speed helps her in retrieving almost every shot played by her opponents. Having won two back-to-back titles in Thailand followed by a runner-up finish in the BWF World Tour Finals tournament, 2021 could not have begun better for the Spaniard. She has not lost a game yet in this tournament and is looking unstoppable. Marin can do damage by attacking Sindhu on the frontcourt to finish points quickly.

With two consecutive wins in straight games each, Sindhu has been improving her game quality as the tournament progresses to its end. While she does struggle a bit in closing out games, her margin of error drastically reduces when the Indian keeps things tight while having a stranglehold during the rallies. Sindhu can opt for some deception in her service returns, play smashes to the body of the Spaniard, and play clever cross-court forehands to take momentum.

Sindhu's big move ahead of the Tokyo Olympics 2021

Sindhu made a couple of changes to her training schedule after early exits in the three tournaments as part of the Thailand swing. She shifted her daily practice sessions from Pullela Gopichand's Academy to the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad. Sindhu worked hard to iron out chinks in her game with her South Korean coach Park Tae Sang.

Gachibowli is a bigger stadium similar to the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza present for the Tokyo Olympics and the shuttle moves at a different speed when compared to smaller arenas. The AC blowers in the Gachibowli stadium heavily influence the drift and flight of the shuttle.

This battle between Sindhu and Marin is of contrasting game styles. Marin is an aggressive returner who prefers to play first-strike badminton by keeping it short. Sindhu loves to play endless rallies and tire out her opponents. Another chapter in this great rivalry will be written as both players take a shot at the title. The winner of this match will go with sky-high confidence ahead of the highly-competitive and prestigious All-England Open Badminton Championships on March 17.

Prediction - PV Sindhu to beat Carolina Marin in three games and win the Yonex Swiss Open.

Featured Image Credits - Getty Images