Punjab Newsline,Sports:
Sindhu Advances After Akane Yamaguchi Retires Hurt, Indian Pair Shines in Men’s Doubles
India’s star shuttler and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has progressed to the semifinals of the BWF Super 1000 Malaysia Open badminton tournament being held in Kuala Lumpur. Sindhu delivered an impressive performance in the quarterfinals on Friday, continuing her strong run in the prestigious tournament.
In the quarterfinal match, PV Sindhu faced Japan’s third seed Akane Yamaguchi and made a dominant start. Sindhu wrapped up the first game convincingly, winning it 21-11 in just 11 minutes. Her aggressive approach, sharp smashes and excellent court movement put Yamaguchi under constant pressure. However, before the second game could properly begin, Yamaguchi was forced to retire from the match due to a knee injury. As a result, Sindhu advanced to the semifinals with a walkover.
Earlier, Sindhu had registered an equally comfortable win in the Round of 16 on Thursday. She defeated Japan’s eighth seed Tomoka Miyazaki in straight games, winning 21-8, 21-13 in just 33 minutes. Sindhu controlled the match throughout and did not allow her opponent any chance to mount a comeback, underlining her strong form in the tournament.
In men’s doubles, India’s top pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also put up a solid performance to reach the quarterfinals. The Indian duo once again showcased their excellent coordination, speed and attacking style, proving why they are counted among the world’s leading men’s doubles pairs.
However, India’s campaign in the men’s singles category came to an end at the Malaysia Open. Indian shuttlers were eliminated in the early and pre-quarterfinal rounds, bringing the country’s challenge in this category to a close.
With PV Sindhu now set to compete in the semifinals, expectations are high for another strong performance as she continues her pursuit of the title at the Malaysia Open.