Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu’s campaign at the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament came to an end in the second round after she lost to Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min in a hard-fought three game women’s singles contest in China on Thursday.
World No.19 Sindhu, who dispatched the higher-ranked Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-17, 21-19 in the opening round, fought valiantly before going down 16-21, 21-17, 21-23 to Min in a match that lasted one hour and nine minutes.
It was curtains for other two surviving Indian women’s singles players as well with both Anupama Upadhyaya and Malvika Bansod crashing out in the second round.
While Anupama lost 7-21, 14-21 against Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira, Malvika was thrashed 9-21, 9-21 by eight-seeded Supanida Katethong of Thailand.
The women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand was no match for second seeded Chinese pair of Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning.
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The world number 18 India duo, which is currently at eight spot in the BWF World Tour rankings, lost 16-11, 11-21 against its Chinese opponents in a second round match lasting just 43 minutes.
Indian singles challenge now rests on the shoulders of Lakshya Sen who will be up against Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke in a men’s second round match later in the day.
Also in action will be defending champion Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who returned to action after a break following the Paris Olympics.
The Asian Games gold medallist Indian duo will meet the Danish pair of Rasmus Kjaer and Frederik Soggard in the pre-quarterfinals later on Thursday.
