Kidambi Srikanth left gallantly. Saina Nehwal hobbled off hurting. The doubles teams of Jwala Gutta & Ashwini Ponappa and Manu Attri & Sumeeth Reddy exited without creating as much as a ripple.Pusarla V Sindhu is the last among them standing. Seven badminton players arrived in Rio, Indias largest ever contingent and only one among them can now return with a medal. On Thursday, Sindhu fronts up against Japans Nozomi Okuhara for a place in the gold medal match in the womens singles. Okuhara sits four places above Sindhu in the world rankings at number six and will present a huge stumbling block to Sindhus aspirations of securing a medal.The Japanese player has been one of the standout performers on the circuit in recent months. She won the season ending World Super series finals in Dubai last December without losing a single game in five matches. This year she has a win-loss record of 21-8, also capturing the All-England open in March, one of the most prestigious tournaments on the circuit. Though she hasnt won a tournament since, at Rio, Okuhara has rediscovered her spark. She won her first three matches comfortably in straight games before being stretched to three by compatriot Yamaguchi Akane in the quarterfinals.Okuhara also holds a 3-1 edge over Sindhu in their head-to-head encounters, although interestingly each of their four matches have been three-game affairs. Sindhu won the first match in 2012 at the Badminton Youth Asia under-19 championships but Okuhara has clinched the last three, including one earlier this year in Sindhus hometown Hyderabad at the Badminton Asia Team championships.For Sindhus coach Pullela Gopichand though, those numbers will have little bearing on the outcome of this contest, with Sindhu playing some of the best badminton of her life over the past week.Sindhu needs to be aggressive and attacking, just the way she has been in the last two matches, says Gopichand. I dont think we need to go by past results, this is a new competition and she is in a positive frame of mind. The Japanese girl likes to engage in long rallies, so we will have to be prepared for that.One of the key factors in the match could be the significant difference in height between the players. Okuhara is a lot shorter at barely 51 whereas Sindhu, at 510 is among the tallest players on the circuit.In the course of this tournament, Sindhu has used her wingspan to great advantage, combining her assured movements with the ability to retrieve shuttles using her reach. However, Sindhu believes that while being taller than her opponents can be an advantage, it can also be an area where she can be targeted.Height is an advantage and a disadvantage, she told ESPN before leaving for the Olympics. It helps you catch up with the shuttle quicker. On the other hand, players have read my game so they dont give me much to attack, since my reach is very good. So they make me play more downward strokes.Over her short career, Sindhu has been dogged by inconsistency, evidenced by her failure to have won a single Super series title yet. However, she does appear to have a penchant for putting together strong runs at big tournaments.She won bronze medals at two consecutive World championships and remains the only Indian to have done so. After a patchy year on the circuit, she has produced a captivating run in Rio, with victories over two higher ranked players in world number two Wang Yihan of China and world number eight?Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan.She has performed well in big events, and shes performed well when shes had time to prepare well, explains Gopichand. She has been inconsistent a few times and squandered leads but I think thats a part of being so young. She has time and age on her side but she is a great fighter and has a great work ethic.Sindhu described the victory against Yihan as?one of the best moments?of her career adding that she hopes there are many more to come. If she becomes the first Indian badminton player to enter a gold medal round at an Olympics later today, one of those many more she is counting on will have been secured. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Nikola-Kalinic-Jersey/ . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Vitolo-Jersey/ . NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/ . Siddikur, whose previous win on the circuit came in Brunei three years ago, finished his bogey-free round with a birdie on the 18th for a total of 17-under 199. Indias Shiv Chowrasia, who has finished runner-up in this tournament twice, was in second place after a 66. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Rodri-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Angel-Correa-Jersey/ . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. BARCELONA, Spain -- Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty kick but scored three times to restore his touch and help Real Madrid increase its lead of the Spanish league on Saturday.Ronaldo could have scored a fourth in Madrids 4-1 win at Alaves if not for goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco, who saved his spot kick.Madrids win ensured it stayed two points ahead of Barcelona after the defending champion moved into second place with a 1-0 win over bottom-side Granada. Atletico Madrid also won to move into third after overtaking a Sevilla side that was the only top team to stumble.Ronaldos first multi-goal performance of the season for Madrid was his club record 31st hat trick in La Liga. And it came just when voices in the Spanish capital were wondering if Ronaldos 31 years were finally catching up with him.(Ronaldo) is patient and is showing it on the pitch, Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said. Im very happy with his performance. We are always going to ask him for goals, but he was very good in every facet today.Ronaldo got his hat trick following his worst start to a season since his debut campaign at Madrid in 2009. Before Saturday, he scored only four times in nine matches, twice in the league and twice in the Champions League. By comparison, Barcelona rival Lionel Messi has struck 14 times in this campaign.An early goal by Deyverson gave the home fans hope that newly promoted Alaves could add a win over Madrid to an impressive list of results, which include a shock victory at Barcelona and a draw at Atletico Madrid.But Ronaldo leveled the score 10 minutes later from the penalty spot after Deyverson appeared to use his arm inside the area to block Gareth Bales free kick. Ronaldo sent Pacheco the other way before firing home.Ronaldo put Madrid in front shortly after with a vicious strike that deflected off a defender before looping over an outstretched Pacheco.With Madrid hurt by an injury to defender Pepe that forced him to be substituted, Alaves didnt roll over, and goalie Keylor Navas had to deny Victor Camarasa and Deyverson to protect the visitors advantage.ddddddddddddAfter Pacheco blocked Ronaldos spot kick, Marcelo set up both substitute Alvaro Morata and Ronaldo to score in the final minutes.Ronaldo lives to score, Marcelo said. Hes happy today, but more so for the three points than his goals.BARCELONA 1, GRANADA 0With Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez having a subdued night, Barcelona needed another goal from midfielder Rafinha in its 1,500th match at Camp Nou to see off the leagues worst team.Rafinha netted his fifth goal of the season with a bicycle kick to fire in a ball that Neymar sent off the post in the 58th.Barcelona failed to create many more chances, apparently eyeing Tuesdays Champions League visit to Manchester City to face former coach Pep Guardiola.That wasnt our most brilliant game, Barcelona manager Luis Enrique said. We lacked sharpness and it didnt come easy, but the win was never in danger.ATLETICO MADRID 4, MALAGA 2Yannick Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro each scored twice to lead Atletico Madrid to another commanding win. Atletico is ahead of Sevilla on goal difference, and three points behind Real Madrid.Gameiros second goal to make it 3-1 just before halftime came from an excellent headed pass by Antoine Griezmann.But Carrasco topped that effort with a scorching solo goal struck from the edge of the area after a long sprint that sealed the win in fine style.Both teams finished with 10 men after Atleticos Stefan Savic and Malagas Gonzalo Castro earned two bookings each.SPORTING GIJON 1, SEVILLA 1Jorge Sampaolis Sevilla endured its first non-win in five matches across all competitions. Luciano Vietto scored on the break to give Sevilla the lead four minutes into the away match, but Moi Gomez volleyed in the equalizer soon after. 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