PV Sindhu’s campaign at the Badminton Asia Championships ended in the Round of 16 at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center on Thursday, April 9. The Indian shuttler was beaten 21-18, 21-8 in straight games by World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi, bringing her run in the tournament to a close.
Sindhu showed signs of resistance in the opening game, staying in touch through much of the contest and pushing Wang during the mid-phase. However, the Chinese player managed to pull away at crucial moments, stringing together points to close out the first game 21-18. While Sindhu remained competitive early on, she was unable to convert key rallies when it mattered most.
The second game, however, saw a clear shift in momentum. Wang took control from the outset, dictating the pace and building a steady lead. Sindhu struggled to find answers as the gap widened, with Wang maintaining pressure through consistent shot-making and control in rallies. The Indian could not recover, eventually going down 21-8 to concede the match in straight games.
The result mirrors Sindhu’s performance at the 2025 edition of the tournament, where she had also exited in the Round of 16 after a three-game loss to Akane Yamaguchi. For Wang Zhi Yi, the win marks an improvement from last year, when she was knocked out at the same stage following a three-game defeat to Sim Yu Jin.
Sindhu’s exit also adds to a difficult outing for India in the singles events. Earlier in the tournament, Lakshya Sen suffered a first-round defeat to Lee Cheuk Yiu, losing in straight games despite coming into the competition on the back of a strong showing at the All England Badminton Championships. The early exits of both Sindhu and Lakshya have dented India’s hopes in the singles categories.
However, India still has representation in the Round of 16 across other categories. HS Prannoy is set to take on Weng Hong Yang in men’s singles, while in mixed doubles, the pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto will face Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei. In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand are scheduled to go up against Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto later in the day, with Aakarshi Kashyap also in action in women’s singles.
With several matches still to be played, India will look to find success in the remaining draws as the tournament progresses.
Source: India Today