PV Sindhu Loses in China Open Pre-Quarters Marathon

PV Sindhu Loses in Pre-Quarters: Indian badminton star PV Sindhu walked off the court with little regret but a lot to reflect on after a thrilling one-hour and 29-minute match against Chen Yufei at the China Open on Thursday.

Both players gave their all during the match. Sindhu was just one point from victory four times, but World No. 4 and home favourite Chen came back to win 16-21, 22-20, 21-18 in the second round in Changzhou.

It was a tough end to a match that could have been one of Sindhu's best wins in recent years.

The loss also meant she missed the chance for back-to-back wins over top-five opponents for the first time since 2019.

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PV Sindhu Loses in Pre-Quarters: Revenge, Resilience and Relentless Rallies: Chen Yufei Outlasts PV Sindhu

Thursday's match was a rematch of their semifinal clash less than a week after the Japan Open.

In their earlier match, Chen Yufei had to retire due to injury. This time, World No. 4 Chen seemed to have learned from that loss and put Sindhu under pressure from the start.

Sindhu responded with a strong comeback to win the opening game, but a minor physical issue slowed her down, especially as the home crowd cheered for Chen.

In a high-calibre deciding game, Chen battled through to secure her revenge for the Japan Open defeat.

The match showed why badminton is so exciting. Former Indian coach Vimal Kumar called it a masterclass in both attack and defence, praising the rallies, smart tactics, and fighting spirit from both players.

He added that matches like this show the value of the traditional 21-point scoring system, which has produced some of badminton's best games.

PV Sindhu vs Chen Yufei: PV Sindhu Falls to Chen; Kumar Says Classics May Become Rare

PV Sindhu Loses in Pre-Quarters: Kumar believes that when the new scoring system starts next year, matches of this quality might become less common.

Sindhu’s recent form hints at a whole new dimension to her play. She has played more aggressively, shared more on social media, and relied on her grit and determination.

Chen started strong, quickly taking a 5-2 lead. Sindhu caught up, but Chen kept the advantage.

PV Sindhu Match Result: Sindhu's Grit Shines in China Open Battle, But Chen Exploits Crucial Errors

PV Sindhu Loses in Pre-Quarters: While Sindhu's cross-drop shots had unsettled Chen in Tokyo, the Chinese star had clearly found an answer this time.

She controlled the early exchanges and entered the mid-game break with an 11-6 lead.

After play resumed, both players scored, but the gap stayed, so Sindhu needed something special.

She delivered, going on a run to cut the lead to two points, then winning seven points in a row to take the first game.

Sindhu kept her momentum in the second game, quickly leading 7-3. Chen fought back, but Sindhu was still ahead at the break.

After the break, Chen used the home crowd's support to try to come back, but Sindhu stayed in control at first.

But Chen refused to give up. An exciting rally with Sindhu ahead 20-16 was a key moment.

At that point, Sindhu seemed to struggle physically and took longer to get up after missing a drop shot.

She then started making unforced errors. An overhit return let Chen catch up, and a missed drop shot gave Chen the momentum.

PV Sindhu Elimination: Sindhu Pushes Chen to the Limit, But Chinese Star Prevails in Decider

Chen Yufei defeats PV Sindhu: Chen took advantage and forced a deciding game as the home crowd cheered.

The third game was close, with both players matching each other in attack, defence, and determination. Sindhu pulled ahead at a key moment and led 11-8 at the break.

After play resumed, Chen started another comeback that kept the crowd excited. Neither player could put together a big run.

Chen's longest streak was three points, while Sindhu's was two, which sealed her victory in the quarterfinals.

Despite Defeat, Sindhu Earned Praise for Her Fight and Composure: Vimal Kumar

PV Sindhu Loses in Pre-Quarters: Looking back on the match, Vimal Kumar said Sindhu showed great character and composure after the tough loss in the second game. She kept believing until the very end.

Kumar felt that with a bit more luck in the second game, Sindhu could have won.

He also praised Chen Yufei for her consistency. Kumar repeated that with a bit more luck in the second game, Sindhu could have won.

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