P.V. Sindhu, who etched her name in history by becoming first Indian female to reach the finals of an Olympic event, will be facing
Even though Sindhu is probably in the best of her form, it won’t be easy to play against Marin, who ended the Chinese domination at this year's Olympics by beating Li Xuerui, the defending Badminton champion to reach finals.
Marin, who comes with the world champion titles of women's badminton singles for two years in a row, will have an edge over Sindhu in today’s match, and her dream of being the first European woman to win a badminton Olympic gold will be acting as a booster for her game, something that Sindhu, world’s number 5 and a two-time world champion in her own right, will have to watch out for.
Here is a look at the four key factors that would decide the fate of tonight’s match, as per a report by ET:
Speed
Marin is known for her high pace, and being a lefty, she would have an advantage over the right-handed Sindhu, since it would be difficult for Sindhu to anticipate her angles.
Aggression
Marin, who has a powerful scream, can put off most of her opponents, who get visibly uncomfortable due to her lethal smashes and aggression. Sindhu, on the other hand, has shown no such aggression on the court, which can be problematic for her in front of Martin. However, in the semis against Okuhara, she showed that she is working on this point, and her clenched fists were a strong indication of that.
Strategy
Marin has a clear strategy, of playing to win, which makes her invincible from the baseline and mid court. Sindhu, on the other hand, plays like a chess player, delaying tactics and showing decent deception.
Coaches
Marin’s coach Fernando Rivas lets her think for herself, and Sindhu’s coach Pullela Gopichand will hope for her to not get intimidated with Marin in the court today.