Sindhu squanders lead to go down to Marin in Singapore Open pre-quarters

Singapore: PV Sindhu blew away an 18-15 lead in the decider to go down to familiar foe Carolina Marin in a thrilling three-game women's singles pre-quarterfinal clash at the Singapore Open here on Thursday.

Fresh from her runner-up finish at the Thailand Open last week, the premier Indian shuttler took the opening game against her Rio Olympics final nemesis, but the Spaniard bounced back to win 21-13 11-21 20-22 in a one-hour, eight-minute battle of the BWF World Tour Super 750 meet.

Facing each other for the first time in seven months after their heated Denmark Open semifinal clash, the double Olympic medalist Indian reeled off five successive points to take the opening game.

But the Spaniard world No 3 bounced back strongly in a lopsided second game wherein she won six points on the trot and cruised to 17-7 lead before bringing the game on level terms.

Sindhu nosed ahead in the decider and maintained her lead throughout before Marin made a stunning comeback to seal her 12th career win from 17th matches against the Indian.