India's PV Sindhu showcased her prowess once again with a remarkable comeback, securing a three-game victory over the USA's Beiwen Zhang to progress to the women's singles quarterfinals at the French Open Super 750 badminton tournament in Paris on March 7.
Competing in her first BWF tour event since recovering from a knee injury, Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, fought back from losing the opening game to defeat World No. 10 Zhang 13-21 21-10 21-14, booking her spot in the quarterfinals.
Sindhu to face Chen Yu Fei or Line Christophersen
The world No. 11 Sindhu will face either Olympic champion and second seed Chen Yu Fei of China or Denmark's Line Christophersen in the next round, posing a significant challenge for the Indian player as she aims for a third medal at the Paris Games.
Srikanth stumbles against Guang Zu
After showcasing his skills against Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen, Kidambi Srikanth faced another setback against Lu Guang Zu, resulting in yet another round-of-16 defeat. This loss may trouble him, especially considering his flawless 5-0 record against the Chinese player before the match. Despite a hard-fought battle lasting 78 minutes, the former world No. 1 was defeated 21-19 12-21 20-22 by the world No. 17.
In the women's singles event, Sindhu initiated the match with a cross-court winner. However, Zhang responded with a strong defensive strategy, engaging Sindhu in lengthy rallies dominated by high tosses and clears. Struggling with the conditions, Sindhu committed numerous unforced errors, allowing Zhang to take a lead of 11-7 and 14-9.
Zhang's precise lifts repeatedly landed on the lines, while Sindhu struggled with her accuracy. This allowed the American to establish a five-point lead at 16-11 and eventually gain eight-game points, which she converted when Sindhu hit into the net.
In the second game, Zhang showcased good control over her shots, taking a 3-0 lead with some elegant drop shots. Although Sindhu managed to level the score at 4-4, she soon surged ahead to 6-4 by capitalising on a weak return near the net. Sindhu continued to dominate the rallies, moving to a 9-5 lead with her steep returns troubling Zhang. Holding an 11-7 lead at the break, Sindhu maintained her momentum.
Sindhu dominates and seals games
Sindhu's aggressive play widened the gap to eight points in her favour, as she executed an over-the-head smash followed by a cross hit. She reached 11 game points with another precise return at the back, eventually clinching the game when Zhang's shot went out.
In the decider, Zhang initially took a 4-2 lead with two smashes, but Sindhu levelled the score at 5-5 after winning a 34-shot rally. Despite the windy conditions affecting her opponent's consistency, Sindhu continued to play more downward shots from her side of the court.
Zhang's strokes lacked precision and her net play was inconsistent as Sindhu surged ahead to 8-5. Sindhu extended her lead to 11-7 after Zhang's shot went awry.
Continuing to capitalise on Zhang's struggles, Sindhu maintained a four-point lead at 17-13 with another powerful over-the-head smash. A well-executed drop shot then gave Sindhu six match points, and she secured the victory when Zhang made another error at the net.
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Srikanth vs Guang Zu
Srikanth started strong with a 3-0 lead, but a series of errors allowed Guang Zu to equalise at 5-5. Despite conceding a few points at the net, Srikanth maintained an 11-9 lead at the break.
Showing resilience in flat exchanges, Srikanth executed impressive forehand returns to establish a 17-14 advantage. However, his errors allowed Guang Zu to level the scores once again.
A well-executed backhand kill helped Srikanth move ahead to 19-18, but Guang Zu quickly equalised at 19-19. Srikanth, however, responded with a smash followed by a cross-court shot to clinch the opening game.
After changing sides, Srikanth found himself trailing 1-3, and although he managed to level the score at 4-4, his errors increased as Guang Zu surged ahead 11-7. This lead extended to 17-10 upon resumption, eventually sealing the second game and pushing the match to a decider.
In the third game, the players remained evenly matched for the first 12 points before Guang Zu took a 10-7 lead. Srikanth then scored four consecutive points with precise returns, reaching a 17-13 and 18-15 advantage.
However, Guang Zu gradually equalised, with Srikanth committing two errors at the net. Another mistake at the net gave Guang Zu a match point. Srikanth saved one with a cross-court jump smash before two more unforced errors dashed his hopes.
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