Sindhu goes down in Malaysia Open semis ending India’s campaign

PV Sindhu’s campaign at the season-opening Malaysia Open BWF World Tour Super 1000 came to an end on Saturday after the Indian went down in straight games to China’s world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi in the women’s singles semifinals at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.

Competing in her first tournament since returning from a foot injury that had kept her out of action since October last year, the two-time Olympic medallist lost 16-21, 15-21 in a match that lasted just under an hour. The defeat also brought an end to India’s challenge in the Super 1000 event.

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The Hyderabad-born shuttler began the contest with intent, using her height and reach effectively and unleashing powerful cross-court smashes to surge to a 5-2 lead in the opening game before Wang responded with sharp net play to draw level. A few errors from the Chinese player allowed Sindhu to edge ahead again at 9-7, but Wang regained the upper hand to lead narrowly at the mid-game interval as Sindhu struggled with consistency at the net.

The first game remained evenly balanced after the break, with both players trading errors as the score moved to 13-13. From there, Wang lifted her intensity, mixing aggressive attacks with precise placement to pull away to an 18-14 advantage. Sindhu tried to resist, but another error handed Wang the opening game.

Sindhu once again started strongly in the second game but gradually fell behind before making up patiently to move to a 6-3 lead and then extended it to a commanding 11-6 at the interval by pushing Wang into the corners. However, the momentum shifted soon after the restart as Wang mounted a steady comeback, capitalising on a series of unforced errors from Sindhu.

With the scores locked at 13-13, the Chinese player seized control through sharp net exchanges and relentless pressure, opening up a 16-13 lead. Sindhu missed the baseline on a couple of occasions, handing Wang five match points, and the contest ended when another wide shot confirmed the Chinese shuttler’s place in the final.

Despite the straight-game loss, Sindhu felt the match was more competitive than the scoreline suggested. “At this stage, it’s going to be a hard game, and there aren’t going to be easy points,” she said. “There were really long rallies, and I felt it was a good game overall, even though it ended in two sets. She was on the winning side today.”

The 30-year-old also admitted she missed an opportunity to press home her advantage in the second game. “At 11-6, maybe I should have taken two or three points in a row to maintain the lead,” Sindhu said. “But in a match like this, you can’t expect it to be easy even when you’re leading.”

The semifinal appearance marked Sindhu’s first at a major tournament in 14 months and provided encouraging signs following her injury layoff. She said the outing had boosted her confidence ahead of the upcoming India Open, where she will compete on home soil.

“It was a good tournament for me. It’s important that I rest now and get going for the India Open. Starting the season with a performance like this gives me a lot of confidence and motivation, especially after coming back from an injury,” Sindhu said.