Sindhu advances at BWF World Championships
PV Sindhu moved into the Round of 16 of the BWF Badminton World Championships with a composed 21-16, 21-17 victory over Canada's Zhang Wen Yu at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday. The former world champion, seeded ninth, completed the win in 34 minutes, extending her unbeaten head-to-head record against Zhang to 3-0.
Sindhu made an assured start, racing to four consecutive points before Zhang settled into the contest. The Canadian managed to stay within touching distance, but Sindhu maintained control through the opening phase and entered the interval with a narrow 11-9 advantage. Zhang continued to test Sindhu after the break, yet the Indian veteran remained composed as the opening game reached its decisive stages. Sindhu created a four-point cushion at 19-15 and then closed out the game 21-16 in 16 minutes.
The second game proved considerably tighter. Zhang refused to allow Sindhu to dictate the exchanges and overturned the early momentum to move level at 9-9. The Canadian then carried an 11-9 lead into the interval, leaving Sindhu with work to do. The Indian responded with the experience that has defined her career at the biggest stages. A five-point burst after the interval shifted the momentum back in her favour, allowing Sindhu to regain the lead and put herself within sight of victory. Zhang continued to fight, but Sindhu held firm when the finish came into view. She converted her advantage to take the second game 21-17 and completed the contest in 34 minutes.
With the scores level at 15-15 in the second game, Sindhu conceded just two more points as she closed out the contest. According to CNBC TV18, the Indian regained her composure in the closing stages and took charge, while the win was described as a composed performance by IANS.
Upcoming clash with Wang Zi Yi
Sindhu's next challenge comes in the last 16, where she faces third seed Wang Zi Yi of China. Wang advanced earlier on Wednesday with a 21-16, 21-9 win over Malaysia's Karuoathevan Letshanaa, as reported by Lokmat Times. The match is scheduled for Thursday, with a place in the quarterfinals at stake.
Sindhu can draw confidence from her record against Chinese opponents at the World Championships, where she remains unbeaten in eight matches, as noted by CNBC TV18. The Indian also beat Wang at the same stage of last year's World Championships in Paris, winning 21-19, 21-15.
The pre-quarterfinal victory also saw Ayush Shetty advance in men's singles with a 21-8, 21-10 win over Sri Lanka's Dumindu Abeywickrama, a match that took 26 minutes, according to Lokmat Times.