Indonesia Open: Past returns to haunt PV Sindhu

PTI

Jakarta, June 15

Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy registered straight-game wins to advance to the men’s singles quarterfinals but it was curtains for double Olympics medallist PV Sindhu at the Indonesia Open Super 1000 here today.

Taking the court first, Srikanth used his vast experience to quell the challenge of Lakshya Sen 21-17 22-20 in an all-Indian second round duel. It was a hard-fought battle between the two Indians but Srikanth reigned supreme in the crucial moments with his calmness and experience to prevail over Sen in a match that lasted 45 minutes.

The win ensured Srikanth’s dominance over his younger compatriot as he took his head-to-head record to 3-0 over Sen.

Seventh seed Prannoy then took just 43 minutes to get the better of Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong 21-18 21-16.

Rising Indian shuttler Priyanshu Rajawat’s campaign ended in pre-quarters as he went down fighting to the world No. 2 and home favourite Anthony Ginting 22-20 15-21 15-21 in one hour and three minutes.

Rajawat showed some fight when he bounced back from a 5-12 deficit to win the first game, but Ginting used all his experience to prevail over the 21-year-old Indian in the next two games and seal a quarterfinals berth.

However, world No. 14 Sindhu made an early exit once again, losing 21-18 21-16 to her nemesis and world No. 3 Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei in a women’s singles second round match.

Sindhu had made opening-round exits in the last two events.

Tai Tzu, seeded third, has been the opponent Sindhu had struggled against the most in the international arena and it was no better here with the Chinese Taipei shuttler enhancing her head-to-head record over the Indian to a staggering 19-5.

Sindhu and Tai Tzu’s most recent meeting was at the 2023 Sudirman Cup, where Tai Tzu won 21-14 18-21 21-17.

With Sindhu’s loss, the Indian challenge came to an end in the women’s singles event.

Earlier, World No. 5 men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty sailed past China’s He Ji Ting and Zhou Hao Dong 21-17 21-15 in 46 minutes. The seventh-seeded Indians will be up against top seeds Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto in the quarterfinals.

Srikanth keeps Sen at bay

It was Sen who started on a positive note, taking an early 4-0 lead in the opening game before Srikanth clawed his way back.

The match was on an even keel till 17 points before Srikanth came out attacking and used the court to great effect to tire out his younger rival and win four straight points to pocket the first game.

The second game was no different as both shuttlers matched each other till 13 points, before Srikanth won six straight points to surge ahead to 20-14. But Srikanth squandered six match points as Sen bounced back in style to draw level at 20-all.

Srikanth, however, had the last laugh as he kept his composure to win the next two points and seal the match.

Srikanth will next play Li Shi Feng of China, who upset fourth seed Loh Kean Yew of Singapore 21-19 21-14 in another second round match, while Prannoy will face third seed Kodai Naraoka of Japan in the last-eight round.

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