China Open: World Champion PV Sindhu crashes out

Changzhou (China): Newly-crowned world champion P.V. Sindhu crashed out of the ongoing China Open World Tour Super 1000 badminton tournament as she went down fighting to Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong on Thursday. Fifth seeded Sindhu lost 12-21, 21-13, 21-19 in a thrilling second-round contest that lasted for almost an hour.

The Olympic silver medallist started off strongly by winning the first game wherein she showed no signs of rustiness. However, Chochuwong came out with a remarkable comeback and won the second game to force the match in the decider.

In the final game, the Indian took an early three-point lead but Chochuwong was quick to close-in the gap. The Indian snatched back the lead — although a slender one but Chochuwong was not far behind.

Sindhu, who had a three-point advantage at 19-16 failed to close the game as the Thai shuttler came from behind to seal the deal in her favour and progress to the quarter-finals.

With this loss, India’s challenge in the women’s singles event has come to an end as Saina Nehwal had made an exit after losing her opening-round clash to Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan.

Earlier on Thursday, Ashwini Ponnappa and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy also lost to Yuki Kaneko and Misaki Matsutomo of Japan 11-21, 21-16, 12-21 in the second round of the mixed doubles event.

Before that, Satwiksairaj and Chirag Shetty had lost their second-round match 19-21, 8-21 to Japan’s Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda in the men’s doubles event to get knocked out of the tournament.

 Published on: Sep 19, 2019 at 15:59 IST

IANS