Sindhu Triumphs, Sen Falls In Gripping Indonesia Open Battles

Jakarta

Two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu stormed into the second round of the Indonesia Open Super 1000 badminton tournament after a thrilling win over her long-time rival Nozomi Okuhara of Japan. The intense first-round clash in the women’s singles lasted a grueling one hour and 19 minutes, with Sindhu emerging victorious in three games: 22-20, 21-23, 21-15.

The match was a classic battle of attrition, marked by long rallies, unforced errors, and moments of brilliance. Sindhu held her nerve in the first game, saving a game point and finishing with a flurry of attacking shots. Okuhara bounced back in the second game, exploiting Sindhu’s momentary lapses to edge ahead 23-21 after saving two match points. The decider was tightly contested until the mid-game interval, with Sindhu leading 11-9 before taking full control. She unleashed a series of winners to gain eight match points, eventually sealing victory on the fifth.

In the men’s singles, Lakshya Sen put up a spirited fight but lost to world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China in a high-quality encounter: 11-21, 22-20, 15-21. Sen, returning from a recent back injury, showed remarkable grit, especially in the second game where he staged a comeback from 11-17 down to force a decider. However, Shi regained composure in the final game to secure his place in the next round. Sindhu will now face her round of 16 challenge, carrying India’s hopes forward.