Malaysia Open: Sindhu goes down to China’s Wang Zhiyi in semis

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 10 Ace Indian shuttler P V Sindhu’s campaign in the season-opening Malaysia Open BWF World Tour Super 1000 came to an end on Saturday after she suffered a defeat to China’s Wang Zhiyi in straight sets in the women’s singles semifinals.

The two-time Olympic medallist struggled to maintain consistency against the world No. 2, going down 16-21, 15-21 in a match marked by unforced errors at crucial moments. The loss also brought the curtains down on India’s challenge in the tournament.

Competing in her first event since returning from a foot injury that had sidelined her since October last year, Sindhu showed early promise but was unable to sustain the pressure. In the second game, she let slip a commanding 11-6 lead as Wang mounted a strong comeback.

Sindhu began the match positively, taking the initiative with powerful strokes and making good use of her height and reach. Her trademark cross-court smashes helped her surge to a 5-2 lead in the opening game before Wang responded with deft net-play to level the scores. Although a few errors from the Chinese shuttler allowed the 30-year-old Sindhu to move ahead 9-7, Wang regained control to take a narrow lead at the mid-game interval as Sindhu faltered at the net.

The contest remained evenly poised after the break, with both players struggling for length and trading errors as the score moved to 13-13. From there, Wang raised the tempo, unleashing a series of attacking shots while mixing in well-judged lifts to pull away to an 18-14 lead. Despite a brief resistance from Sindhu, Wang sealed the first game as the Indian sent a shot wide.

Sindhu again started strongly in the second game after briefly falling behind, constructing points patiently to move into a 6-3 lead and later extending it to 11-6 at the interval by forcing Wang into the corners. However, Wang emerged with renewed intensity, gradually erasing the deficit as Sindhu’s errors crept in.

With the scores tied at 13-13, the Chinese player seized the momentum, using sharp net exchanges to open up a 16-13 advantage. Sindhu’s troubles continued as she missed the backline twice, handing Wang five match points. The match ended when another wide shot from Sindhu confirmed he Chinese opponent’s place in the final.

Despite the defeat, the semifinal showing marked a positive return for Sindhu following her injury layoff, offering encouraging signs ahead of the rest of the season.

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