Badminton Asia Championships: PV Sindhu wins; Lakshya Sen, Kidmabi Srikanth lose in opening round

NEW DELHI: Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu faced some tense moments but managed to advance to the women’s singles second round at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China on Wednesday. However, it was the end of the road for Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth in the men’s singles category.

Sindhu, aiming to regain her form ahead of the Paris Olympics, secured a hard-fought 18-21, 21-14, 21-19 victory against Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei, ranked 33rd in the world. Despite nearly squandering a five-point lead in the decider, Sindhu showed grit to clinch the win. She will next face China’s Han Yue, against whom she holds a perfect 5-0 record.

On the other hand, Sen, who is bound for the Olympics, suffered a 19-21 15-21 defeat to local favorite and top seed Shi Yu Qi. Srikanth also faced disappointment, losing 14-21 13-21 to Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting in the opening round.

In men’s singles, Priyanshu Rajawat fell short against Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, losing 9-21 13-21. Additionally, the Panda sisters, Rutuparna and Swetaparna, were eliminated in the women’s doubles opening round, as were MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila in men’s doubles.

Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand’s faint hopes of Paris Olympics qualification were dashed as they were defeated 2-21 11-21 by Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning. Malvika Bansod and Aakarshi Kashyap also faltered in the opening hurdle, succumbing to their respective opponents.

Sindhu vs Jin Wei

The continental championship provided a crucial opportunity for Sindhu, who is on a comeback trail following her recovery from injury, to test her skills against some of the world’s top shuttlers. Despite losing the opening game, Sindhu displayed resilience and determination, fighting her way back into the contest.

In the decider, Sindhu initially struggled to maintain her form, allowing her opponent to take a lead. However, she gradually found her rhythm and mounted a comeback, showcasing her trademark cross-court smash to narrow the gap.

Jin Wei employed tactics to disrupt Sindhu’s game, but the Indian countered with her attacking returns. Despite facing a deficit at the interval, Sindhu showcased her fighting spirit, clawing back from behind and seizing the lead with a series of well-executed shots.

As the match approached its climax, Sindhu demonstrated her dominance with a flurry of smashes, earning herself a comfortable lead. However, a few errors crept into her game, leading to a tense moment as Jin Wei capitalized on Sindhu’s mistakes.

Ultimately, Sindhu managed to maintain her composure and capitalize on her opponent’s errors, securing victory with a sense of relief.

Despite facing challenges and experiencing a momentary meltdown, Sindhu’s determination and skill enabled her to emerge triumphant in a hard-fought battle.

(With PTI inputs)

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