The two time Olympic medallist went down 16-21, 15-21 against the world number two, drawing curtains on India’s challenge in the prestigious tournament.
Playing her first competitive event since returning from a foot injury that sidelined her for several months, Sindhu showed glimpses of her best form but struggled to maintain consistency under sustained pressure. A series of unforced errors at key moments proved costly, particularly after she surrendered a strong lead in the second game.
Sindhu began the contest on an aggressive note, using her height and reach to dictate early exchanges. Crisp cross court smashes helped her move ahead quickly, and she looked confident in extended rallies. Wang, however, responded with composed shot selection and soft touches at the net, gradually neutralising Sindhu’s power game.
The opening game remained tightly contested through the middle phase, with both players struggling to find depth from the backcourt. As the score stayed close, Wang raised the tempo, pinning Sindhu down with fast attacking strokes and well timed lifts that pushed the Indian deep. From there, the Chinese shuttler closed out the first game by forcing errors off Sindhu’s racquet.
The second game followed a similar pattern. After a brief early setback, Sindhu regrouped impressively and built an 11-6 lead at the mid game interval by stretching Wang to the corners and controlling the rallies. However, the momentum shifted after the break as Wang increased the pace and capitalised on Sindhu’s mistakes.
Despite moments of resistance, Sindhu found it difficult to regain control once Wang drew level. A run of errors at the backline and net allowed the Chinese player to open a decisive lead and convert her match points comfortably.
While the defeat ended Sindhu’s run, her performance marked a positive return to top level competition and offered promising signs ahead of the demanding season to come.
PV Sindhu’s Impressive Run Ends At Malaysia Open Semifinals
New Delhi: PV Sindhu’s encouraging campaign at the season opening Malaysia Open Super 1000 came to an end on Saturday after a straight games defeat to China’s Wang Zhiyi in the women’s singles semifinals.