Unnati Hooda Stuns PV Sindhu to Reach Quarterfinals.
India’s rising badminton star Unnati Hooda scripted a major upset on Thursday, defeating veteran shuttler PV Sindhu in the women’s singles Round of 16 at the China Open Super 1000 tournament in Changzhou.
The 17-year-old displayed remarkable maturity and tactical poise to outplay the two-time Olympic medallist 21-16, 19-21, 21-13 in a gripping contest that lasted 76 minutes. Hooda took early control in the opening game, and after narrowly dropping the second, bounced back strongly to dominate the decider with confident shot selection and pace.
For Sindhu, the loss is a setback after what seemed like a return to rhythm with a straight-game win over Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki in the first round — her first win over a top-10 player this year. However, the former world champion was unable to sustain that momentum against the energetic and fearless Hooda.
With this victory, Hooda becomes the youngest Indian woman to reach the quarterfinals of the China Open — a significant milestone in her young career. She had earlier defeated Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour 21-11, 21-16 in the opening round.
The result not only marks Hooda’s most high-profile win to date but also underscores the changing guard in Indian badminton, as Sindhu continues to battle for consistency in what has been a challenging season.
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