New Delhi: Badminton sensation PV Sindhu came close to becoming the first ever Indian to win the year-ending BWF World Superseries Finals in Dubai on Sunday. But the 22-year-old failed the Japanese test again, in the grandest arena, to lose the title clash to Akane Yamaguchi in three gruelling games.


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It was her third defeat in the big finals, all in three games after the Rio Olympics – to Carolina Marin of Spain, and the Glasgow BWF World Championships – to Nozomi Okuhara of Japan.


Her 21-15, 12-21, 21-19 defeat yesterday dominated the national discourse, and her many fans encouraged the world number three to keep the good work, and among them was thespian Amitabh Bachchan.


Minutes after the match, the Bollywood superstar took to Twitter to console Sindhu. And she wrote, "PV Sindhu you played a fighting game, despite ill health .. never mind .. we are with you .. one loss will strengthen you more .."



The defeat didn't take anything away from Sindhu, who had a stellar year.


Earlier in the year, she became the first Indian woman to win a silver medal in an Olympic individual event in Rio.


She then clinched the India Open Super Series and Korea Open Super Series, besides bagging the silver at Glasgow World Championship and finishing as runners-up at Hong Kong Open last month.