BWF Worlds: PV Sindhu Falls to Wang Zhi Yi in 88-Minute Thriller, Medal Hopes End
PV Sindhu’s hopes of winning a sixth World Championships medal ended after an absorbing battle with China’s World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi in the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals in New Delhi on Thursday. The five-time medallist fought back brilliantly after losing the opening game but eventually went down 11-21, 21-15, 17-21 in an 88-minute contest at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
The result ended Sindhu’s remarkable 8-0 record against Chinese opponents at the World Championships and brought India’s singles campaign at the tournament to a close. The match was decided amid late drama in the third game. With the score tied at 16-16, Wang appeared to suffer cramps and went down on court. After receiving treatment and a lengthy break, she returned to continue the match.
Wang appeared to struggle again while leading 18-17 and was allowed another break by the umpire. The interruptions left Sindhu unsure about how aggressively she should approach the closing stages. The Indian then made a series of errors, allowing Wang to take three consecutive points and close out the match.
Speaking after the defeat, Sindhu questioned whether Wang’s injury breaks had affected the momentum of the contest. “I don’t know if she was injured or not. Maybe that was her strategy or her way of playing. You never know,” Sindhu said, while acknowledging that she needed to remain more patient.
“The last three points changed the game. I should have been more patient,” she added. Wang denied using the injury breaks as a tactic, saying she had suffered cramps in both legs during the closing stages. The controversy overshadowed what was otherwise an impressive performance from Sindhu, particularly after her slow start. Wang dominated the opening game, with Sindhu managing only two points after the interval.
But the Indian produced a superb response in the second game. She stepped up her attack, varied her smashes and drops, and improved her work at the net to take a 21-15 win and force a decider. Sindhu again started strongly in the third game, opening up an 8-4 advantage and later leading 13-10. Wang, however, fought back with five straight points to turn the contest around.
The Indian continued to attack but became increasingly impatient, while Wang’s defence absorbed the pressure. The Chinese shuttler eventually regained control before the late injury interruptions added another twist to the contest. Sindhu leaves the World Championships without a sixth medal, but her performance showed the Indian veteran still possesses the fitness and quality to challenge the world’s best.
Her exit, along with the earlier defeats of Ayush Shetty, Lakshya Sen and Unnati Hooda, means India’s singles challenge at the home World Championships is now over.
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