Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist and India's star shuttler PV Sindhu crashed out of the Thailand Open 2022 after succumbing to the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Chen Yu Fei of China in the semi-final clash at the Impact Arena in Bangkok on Saturday.
Sindhu, who had defeated the world no.1 Akane Yamaguchi in the quarter-finals of the BWF Super 500 event on Friday, lost the final-four match 21-17, 21-16.
Heading into the match, Sindhu had won six of the 10 head-to-head meetings against the Chinese shuttler. The 26-year-old from Hyderabad had lost to Chen the last time they faced off at the 2019 BWF World Tour Finals.
The match got off to an edgy start with both players committing multiple unforced errors but it was Chen Yu Fei who recovered first and went on to take an 11-7 lead.
PV Sindhu, seventh in the badminton world rankings, tried to mount a comeback after the restart and even cut down the gap to 17-15 but the fourth-ranked Chinese player continued to trouble the Indian at the back court and sealed the first game.
Trying to draw back level, Sindhu raced off the blocks in the second game and took an 11-8 lead at the interval but Chen Yu Fei pegged the Indian back after resumption of play and took a 15-12 lead of her own.
Sindhu tried desperately to claw her way back into the match but the Chinese shuttler was clinical and wrapped the match up in 43 minutes. Chen Yu Fei will face either Tai Tzu Ying or Ratchanok Intanon in the final on Sunday.
Sindhu, who has won two Super 300 titles this season at the Syed Modi International and Swiss Open, will next compete at the Indonesia Masters Super 500 scheduled to be held in Jakartka from June 7 to 12.
Sindhu’s defeat brings an end to India’s campaign at the Thailand Open 2022. Saina Nehwal and HS Prannoy crashed out from the earlier rounds while Kidambi Srikanth pulled out at the round of 16 stage.
