India's premier badminton star Saina Nehwal orchestrated a fight back to beat Sung Ji Hyun in the quarter - finals, but compatriot P. V. Sindhu crashed out of the $300, 000 India Open Superseries at the Siri Fort Sports Complex here on Friday.
Defending champion Saina lost the first game 19 - 21 before making it 1 - 1 with spectacular and dominating shuttle play. She registered 21 - 14 and 21 - 19 in the final two games of the match that lasted an hour and 23 minutes.
With this win, world No. 6 Saina improved her head - to - head record against the No. 8 South Korean to 6 - 1.
In the other semi - final, double World Championship bronze medallist Sindhu lost to Bae Yeon Ju of South Korea 21 - 15, 15 - 21, 15 - 21 in an hour and 21 minutes.
World No. 15 Bae has now taken a 3 - 1 lead in head - to - head records against No. 11 Sindhu.
In another disappointing news, India's surprising women's doubles pair of Mohita Sahdev and Sanjana Santosh were thrashed 8 - 21, 2 - 21 by Japan's Naoko Fukuman and Kurumi Yonao.
With the loss of Sindhu and Mohita - Sanjana, Saina remains the only Indian in the tournament.
However, 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Saina's title defence will face a great Chinese wall when she will face Olympic champion and world No. 2 Li Xuerui, who holds a 10 - 2 advantage in career meetings against the 2015 World Championship runner - up.
Xuerui advanced to the final four stage with a battling 22 - 20, 12 - 21, 21 - 17 win over her compatriot Shixian Wang.
In the other women's singles quarter - final, former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand defeated Chinese Taipei' Tai Tzu Ying 12 - 21, 21 - 14, 22 - 20 in 58 minutes. World No. 5 Ratchanok will face Bae.
Meanwhile in the men's singles semi - finals, Japan's Kento Momota will face China's Xue Song and in the other contest, Danish Viktor Axelsen will be up against South Korean Wan Ho Son.