PV Sindhu suffered a heartbreaking defeat against home favourite Chen Yufei in a nail-biting second round clash at the China Open in Changzhou today. There were four occasions when the Indian badminton star was on the verge of victory but she was stopped by a stunning comeback from the world No. 4, who won 16-21, 22-20, 21-18 after a marathon battle lasting one hour and 29 minutes.
Sindhu’s defeat ended what had appeared to be a potentially statement victory. The Indian had appeared on course to win back-to-back matches over top five opponents for the first time since 2019, but Chen’s perseverance in the closing stages of the second game changed the complexion of the contest.
The match was a rematch of the two players' semifinal match at the Japan Open less than a week earlier. That match ended prematurely when Chen was forced to retire due to an injury. But this time, the Chinese shuttler was more prepared and determined to avoid a repeat of that result.
Chen made the stronger start in the opening game and raced to a 5-2 lead before Sindhu fought back. For a long stretch of time, the Chinese player was in control and went to the break 11-6 in front. But after the break Sindhu made a remarkable comeback.
At the beginning of the game, Sindhu started to chip away at the deficit and soon went on a great seven-point run. She stormed back to win the first game 21-16 and she was so aggressive.
Sindhu carried that momentum into the second game and quickly took a 7-3 lead. She was still in control and looked like she was on her way to the quarterfinals after she took a 20-16 lead.
But Chen refused to give up. With the home crowd passionately behind her, the World No. 4 staged a stunning comeback. Sindhu appeared to be hurting physically at the end of the match and a series of errors allowed Chen to get into the game again.
Chen eventually leveled the contest at 20-20 before winning the next two points to force a decider.
The third game was a battle of attack, defence and endurance. Sindhu took an early advantage and led 11-8 at the interval. But Chen gradually climbed back into the game and neither player could take a decisive lead for long.
The Chinese shuttler did finally manage to create some of the key momentum in the final stages and finally secured a hard-fought 21-18 victory to get her place in the quarterfinals.
Even though she suffered that defeat, Sindhu received praise for her fighting spirit and performance in one of the best matches of the tournament.
Former Indian coach Vimal Kumar described the match as a “masterclass” in attacking and defensive badminton which showcased the supreme rallies, tactical skills and determination of both players.
He also pointed to the traditional 21-point scoring system that is going to be replaced by a new format next year, saying matches of such quality could become less common under the new system.
“After the heartbreaking second game, Sindhu showed tremendous character and composure to fight back in the decider,” Kumar said. He added that playing the closing stages from the tougher end made the challenge even more difficult for the Indian.
Sindhu will rue the missed opportunities in the second game, but Chen Yufei has to take full credit for her consistency and calmness under pressure. For the Indian star, the China Open defeat was painful, yet once again she proved she was able to compete with the best in world badminton.
