Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu delivered a spirited performance to move into the second round of the Indonesia Open Super 1000 badminton tournament, outlasting Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in a thrilling three-game encounter on Tuesday. In contrast, Lakshya Sen made an early exit, falling to world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi in a closely fought first-round battle.
Sindhu Wins Emotional Battle Against Okuhara
Sindhu and Okuhara, long-time rivals with a storied history, put on another classic display in a match that lasted one hour and 19 minutes. The Indian shuttler prevailed 22-20, 21-23, 21-15, in a contest that oscillated between brilliance and unforced errors from both players.
Sindhu held her nerve in a tense opening game, saving a game point before clinching it 22-20 with aggressive net play. The second game saw the momentum swing as Sindhu, after leading early, found herself down at the mid-game interval. Despite earning two match points, she faltered at the finish, allowing Okuhara to edge it 23-21.
The decider saw a more measured approach from both players. Sindhu led 11-9 at the interval and then found her rhythm, unleashing a flurry of winners to go up 20-12. She converted her fifth match point to book her spot in the round of 16.
After the match, Sindhu reflected emotionally on their rivalry:
“14 years. 20 matches. From my longest to the shortest World Championship finals — always with her. We’ve shared wins, losses, and a rivalry only we understand. Keep fighting, Nozomi. The court’s never quite the same without you,” she wrote on X.
Lakshya Sen Falls After Gritty Fight
In the men’s singles draw, Lakshya Sen gave a strong account of himself against top-seed Shi Yu Qi, pushing the Chinese star to three games before going down 11-21, 22-20, 15-21 in 65 minutes.
Returning from a back injury that forced him out of last week’s Malaysia tournament, the 23-year-old Indian trailed 11-17 in the second game but staged a remarkable comeback, saving a match point and clinching the game 22-20 to force a decider. However, Shi regained control in the third to seal the match and advance.
Other Indian Results and Upcoming Matches
Elsewhere, Anupama Upadhyaya suffered a straight-games defeat to South Korea’s Kim Ga Eun, exiting the tournament in the first round.
India’s campaign continues later in the day with HS Prannoy set to play his opening match, alongside men’s doubles stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who are scheduled to take the court.
