PV Sindhu advanced to the Arctic Open 2026 quarter-finals with a straight-games win over Riko Gunji. She will face Ratchanok Intanon next. Meanwhile, in the men’s singles, Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy crashed out in the first round.
PV Sindhu Enters Quarter-finals
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu stormed into the women’s singles quarter-finals of the Arctic Open 2026 after a comfortable straight-games victory over Japan’s Riko Gunji in Vantaa, Finland, on Thursday. The sixth-seeded Sindhu, competing at the BWF Super 500 event, defeated Gunji 21-15, 21-15 in 49 minutes to book her place in the last eight. She will next face top seed and former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand in the quarter-finals, as per Olympics.com.
Decisive Late Surges Secure Win
The opening game was closely contested, with Sindhu and the Japanese shuttler locked at 15-all before the Indian produced a decisive late surge, winning six consecutive points to take the game.
The second game followed a similar pattern, with the scores level at 13-all before Sindhu raised her intensity at the crucial stage. She won eight of the next 10 points to close out the match in straight games.
Disappointment in Men’s Singles
Earlier, World Championships medallists Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy suffered first-round exits from the men’s singles event at the Arctic Open 2026 in Vantaa, Finland. Srikanth, ranked 31st in the world, won the opening game against Canada’s world No. 34, Brian Yang, but eventually lost 15-21, 21-15, and 21-13. World No. 38 Prannoy, meanwhile, was beaten by fourth-seeded Denmark’s Anders Antonsen. Prannoy struggled against the Dane and exited the tournament after losing 21-10, 21-9. (ANI)
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