Sindhu performs some extent throughout her girls’s singles semi-final match towards China’s Wang Zhi Yi on the Malaysia Open badminton event in Kuala Lumpur on January 10, 2026.
| Photograph Credit score: AFP
Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu’s spectacular run got here to an finish after a straight-game defeat to China’s Wang Zhiyi within the girls’s singles semifinals of the season-opening Malaysia Open Tremendous 1000 right here on Saturday.
The 2-time Olympic medallist couldn’t maintain the strain towards the world quantity two, committing too many unforced errors in a 16-21, 15-21 loss, which introduced down curtains on India’s marketing campaign within the event.
Enjoying her first event after recovering from a foot damage that stored her on the sidelines since October final 12 months, Sindhu additionally let slip an 11-6 lead within the second recreation.
“I believe 11-6, I took a break, perhaps I ought to have taken 2-3 factors there, however I believe although I used to be main, there have been a few small errors. In a match this stuff occur the place you are main, you possibly can’t anticipate that you will win it simply,” mentioned the 30-year-old, who will subsequent play on the India Open Tremendous 750 event subsequent week in Delhi.
“I believe it was a superb event for me and I believe it is vital for me to relaxation now and get going for the Indian Open,” she mentioned.
“I believe it is vital that I do my greatest and it is not going to be simple, I believe first spherical I will be enjoying towards the Vietnam lady, so yeah, I hope I do effectively.”
Sindhu took the battle to her higher-ranked opponent early, hitting laborious and utilizing her attain successfully.
She produced her trademark cross-court smashes to race to a 5-2 lead earlier than Wang’s refined contact helped her draw degree with a run of factors.
Just a few misses from Wang allowed Sindhu to edge forward 9-7 however the Chinese language participant clawed again as soon as once more to take a slender one-point lead on the interval as Sindhu faltered on the web.
Each gamers struggled for size after the restart with the scores locked at 13-13 and a number of other factors squandered on the backline.
From 15-14, Wang upped the strain with relentless attacking photographs that cramped Sindhu, mixing them with well-judged lifts that floated simply past attain.
She surged to 18-14, conceded one level in a fierce rally, then earned 4 recreation factors and closed out the opener as Sindhu went broad.
The second recreation noticed Sindhu slip to 1-3 after two unforced errors however she regrouped shortly, establishing rallies with authority to maneuver forward 6-3.
Wang steadied herself to slender the hole, but Sindhu dominated the mid-phase by pushing her opponent to the corners with sharp angles, opening up an 11-6 lead on the break.
Wang got here out firing after the resumption, partaking in brisk rallies however Sindhu countered with near-perfect web photographs to remain forward at 13-9.
As soon as once more, Wang fought again as Sindhu sprayed photographs broad and into the online, drawing degree at 13-13 earlier than seizing the initiative.
A deft web change gave the Chinese language participant a 16-13 cushion.
Sindhu then missed the backline twice and a backhand web error handed Wang 5 match factors.
The competition ended when Sindhu pushed one other shot broad, sealing Wang’s place within the closing.
Regardless of the loss, it was a creditable efficiency from Sindhu.
“I believe it was good that beginning the season with a extremely good efficiency, I believe that it provides me a variety of confidence and motivation as effectively, particularly after getting back from an damage and I believe it is vital that I maintain going the identical method and get this confidence going,” she signed off.
Printed – January 10, 2026 12:38 pm IST
