AUSTRALIA: PV Sindhu, India's esteemed shuttler and a two-time Olympics medalist, showcased her prowess as she triumphed in the Round of 16 at the Australia Open 2023 on Thursday. Her adversary, fellow Indian Aakarshi Kashyap, couldn't withstand Sindhu's skill, and she emerged victorious with two consecutive sets.
The first game concluded comfortably in Sindhu's favor with a score of 21-14. Despite Kashyap's attempt to regroup, she faltered against the brilliance of the star shuttler. Sindhu continued her dominant display, securing a compelling 21-10 victory, securing her place in the quarterfinals. In the next stage of the competition, she will be up against the American shuttler Beiwen Zhang.
Ranked at the 17th spot, Sindhu is determined to advance further in the tournament. However, she encountered heartbreak just last week when she was knocked out of the Japan Open 2023 in the Round of 32. On that day, her opponent Yiman outplayed her, and Sindhu struggled to find her rhythm, ultimately succumbing in straight sets.
The current season has been challenging for Sindhu, as she has faced early exits in six of her 12 BWF tournaments. Recently, she suffered a setback at the Korea Open Super 500 badminton tournament, losing to Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei in a closely contested match lasting 58 minutes, with scores of 18-21, 21-10, 13-21.
These disappointing performances have led to Sindhu slipping to the 17th position in the BWF world rankings, marking her worst slump in the last decade. It is quite a contrast to her highest ranking of 2nd in 2016. Nonetheless, the badminton star remains determined to bounce back and reclaim her position among the world's elite players.
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