India's challenge at the Indonesia Open 2026 suffered a major setback on June 4 as two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu crashed out of the tournament after a straight-game defeat against World No. 1 An Se Young in the women's singles Round of 16.
The former world champion fought hard in patches but was unable to overcome the reigning Olympic gold medallist, eventually going down 17-21, 14-21 in Jakarta.
The defeat also marked Sindhu's second successive loss to An Se Young after falling to the South Korean star in the quarterfinals of the Singapore Open last week.
PV Sindhu falls short against World No. 1 An Se Young
The contest started on an encouraging note for Sindhu, who matched the top seed shot for shot during the opening exchanges. The Indian shuttler stayed level at 10-10 midway through the first game and continued to apply pressure with her attacking play.
PV Sindhu even moved ahead at 15-14, raising hopes of taking the opening game. However, An Se Young responded with the composure that has made her one of the most dominant players on the tour.
The South Korean reeled off a string of crucial points to establish a 19-16 advantage before wrapping up the first game. One of the defining moments came during a gruelling 41-shot rally that An won on her way to sealing the opener.
An extends dominance as Sindhu's losing streak continues
An carried her momentum into the second game and immediately took control of the contest. Her exceptional court coverage and consistency from the baseline helped her surge to a commanding 13-6 lead.
Although Sindhu continued to battle and produced flashes of brilliance, she struggled to find answers against An's relentless pressure.
The World No. 1 maintained her intensity throughout the second game and comfortably closed out the match to secure a place in the quarterfinals.
The result further extended PV Sindhu's struggles against An Se Young. The Indian has now lost 10 consecutive matches against the South Korean and is still searching for her first career victory over the reigning Olympic champion.
While Sindhu's Indonesia Open campaign comes to an end, An continues her impressive run and remains one of the strongest contenders for the title in Jakarta.