Sindhu beats world no. 6, enters pre-quarters

Changzhou

India’s star badminton player PV Sindhu entered the pre-quarterfinals of the China Open after a thrilling win against Japan’s world No. 6, Tomoka Miyazaki. Sindhu won the hard-fought match 21-15, 8-21, 21-17 in 62 minutes.

She started strong, leading 6-2 early in the first game with calm and control. Her sharp moves and smart lifts helped her take the game 21-15. However, Miyazaki came back in the second game and dominated Sindhu 21-8.

In the deciding game, Sindhu quickly took a 5-1 lead and kept the pressure on. She reached 11-2 by the court change and stayed ahead till the end. Miyazaki tried to fight back, but Sindhu remained focused and sealed the match.

This victory is important for Sindhu, who has had a tough 2025 season. She had four first-round losses and only one quarterfinal finish before this event. Last week, she lost to Korea’s Sim Yu Jin in the first round of the Japan Open.

Speaking after the match, Sindhu said, “It was a very important win for me, especially against a top player. Taking an early lead in the third game made a big difference.”

She praised 18-year-old Miyazaki, calling her a strong and rising player. Sindhu said this win gives her confidence to continue her form in upcoming matches.

In men’s doubles, India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty easily beat Japan’s Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura 21-13, 21-9 to reach the Round-of-16.

Meanwhile, Indian women’s doubles pair Rutaparna and Swetaparna Panda ended their run after losing to a strong Hong Kong China team.