It took just 39 minutes for PV Sindhu to wrap up her quickest win of the 2017 World Championships with a 21-14, 21-9 demolition of China's Sun Yu. The Indian now finds herself in familiar territory with her third semifinal appearance in four World Championships. If her near perfect game on Friday was any clue, Sindhu would be confident of improving on the two bronze medals she has already won at the World stage.
Dragon killer
She might be only 22 but there is little doubt Sindhu is perhaps the most dominant Indian badminton player ever. With her win against Sun Yu on Friday, Sindhu assured herself of a third medal at the World Championships - as many as won by all other Indians.
None of those medals have been won easily. Over the course of her triumphs, the Indian has had to down opponents from a country that has long ruled the sport -- China. While Saina Nehwal was the first Indian to mount a challenge to the big red machine, few have dominated them like Sindhu has.
In four world Championships, Sindhu has a perfect 5-0 record against Chinese opponents. It is a streak that began in 2013 when she beat Olympic silver medallist and defending champion Wang Yihan and then Wang Shixian in consecutive matches. In 2014 she beat Shixian en route her second bronze medal. In 2015 it was former Olympic champion Li Xerui to be beaten.
Sun Yu, might not have the same pedigree as her more illustrious compatriots. However, in Chen Yufei, her semifinal opponent in Glasgow, Sindhu will find a worthy challenge to keep her streak going as she bids to upgrade her medal. Yufei, the defending world junior champion, is in red hot form having beaten top seed Akane Yamaguchi and 2013 champion Intanon Ratchanok to make the last four.
Drop shot
It's hard to be critical about Sindhu's game given the comprehensive nature of her victory against Sun. Nearly everything she attempted paid off. Her tosses to Sun's forehand were consistently deep, forcing the tall Chinese to corkscrew uncomfortably to retrieve. Her smashes were untroubled by a prominent drift that bothered Sun. But what stood out in Sindhu's attack was the frequency and deception of her crosscourt drop shots.
While the first game could well serve as a highlight package of drop winners, Sindhu would also use the stroke to set herself up into winning positions. She moved to 19-11 in the opening game courtesy two consecutive drop shots. The first one caught the Chinese out of place as she scrambled to the back court after making a lift. She was unprepared for the second that landed at the very same point.
It's unlikely Sindhu will play the same way against Yufei. Mobility was clearly an issue for Sun who had strapping on both her legs. Yufei is far quicker, has dazzling strokes and will cover the net far better than her compatriot. Sindhu's versatility will certainly be useful against the 19-year old.
Supreme defense
Relentless when she gets going, Sindhu has some unavoidable weaknesses in her game. Like many tall players she has a powerful attack but can be vulnerable when she has to bend low and stretch in defence. Against Sun however, Sindhu had a near perfect day. Nearly nothing got through from the Chinese player, a fact that saw her collapse mentally towards the end of the contest.
Players that should be bouncing off the floor were inexplicably finding their way back above the Chinese half of the court. Indeed Sindhu would set up match point as she retrieved a body smash past Sun. The Chinese player could build no significant momentum even when she won back service. In the first game, Sun managed only a streak of four points when she was already 16-6 down. In the second game Sun could never win more than a two points in succession as Sindhu ruthlessly ran everything down.