World Superseries Finals: PV Sindhu beats World No. 8 Akane Yamaguchi 12-21, 21-8, 21-15 in opener

Dubai: Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu was off to a winning start in the season-ending World Superseries Finals where she defeated World No. 8 Akane Yamaguchi 12-21, 21-8, 21-15 in first match on Wednesday.

After losing the first game, Sindhu, who clinched the China Open and finished runners-up at Hong Kong, got her rhythm back to topple her opponent.

With this win, double World Championship bronze medallist Sindhu has taken a 3-1 lead in the head-to-head against the 19-year-old two-time former junior world champion Yamaguchi.

On Thursday, world No.10 Sindhu will come across sixth-ranked Chinese Sun Yu, who produced a stunning result against reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin with a 21-18, 24-22 triumph in 58 minutes.

In August earlier this year, Sindhu became the first Indian woman to win an Olympics silver medal. But qualifying for the Dubai World Super Series final still was a far cry as she was placed at 16th in the Destination Dubai Rankings with just two events -- China Open and Hong Kong Open -- remaining.

The 21-year-old had exited early in Denmark and France but she stunned the world with her rampaging run at the last two qualifying tournaments, becoming the third Indian to win the China Open, her maiden Super Series Premier title last month and then reaching the finals at Hong Kong where she lost to Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu Ying.

The victory at China Open earned her 11000 points and a final finish at Hong Kong meant she had earned her maiden ticket to Dubai, surpassing the likes of compatriot Saina Nehwal, Japan's Sayaka Sato and Minatsu Mitani, and Thailand's Porntip Buranaprasertsuk.

Sindhu then decided to skip the Macau Open Grand Prix Gold, an event she was the three-time defending champion, to prepare for the prestigious event in Dubai.

(With PTI inputs)