BENGALURU: World and Olympic champion Carolina Marin edged out India’s Ashwini Ponnappa 9-11, 11-5, 11-8 as Hyderabad Hunters defeated Bengaluru Blasters in a thrilling Premier Badminton League (PBL) clash in Bengaluru on Saturday.
With Hyderabad trailing 2-3 before the final match of the evening, all their hopes were pinned on their trump match, where Marin was expected to ease to victory against Ponnappa.
However, the Spaniard had to dig deep for the win as Ponnappa put on a superb display to take the match to three games. Hyderabad move to third in the points table following the win.
Earlier, after losing the first game, Bengaluru mixed doubles players - Ko Sung Hyun and Sikki Reddy - drew level 1-1 against Hyderabad's Carolina Marin and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, with a dominating 11-9, 11-7 win.
Danish player Viktor Axelsen, the current world Number two, won the crucial trump match 11-5, 11-6 against Sai Praneeth of Hyderabad to help Bengaluru to take 2-1 lead in the tie, but men's doubles pair Tan Boon and Tan Wee brought Hyderabad into reckoning by winning the crucial game 11-5, 11-8, pushing the game into the super game, which saw Ponappa take on the mighty Marin.
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