Sindhu bows out of China Open after thrilling battle

PV Sindhu’s impressive run came to a disappointing end on Thursday as she squandered four match points before going down to World No. 4 and home favourite Chen Yufei in a thrilling three-set battle at the China Open.

An exhausted Sindhu eventually lost 21-16, 20-22, 18-21 in a gruelling contest that lasted one hour and 29 minutes. The Indian star had looked well on course to seal victory after taking the opening game and coming agonisingly close to closing out the match in the second.

The defeat came just a week after Sindhu beat Yufei in the semi-finals of the Japan Open, where she went on to claim the title. That match, however, ended prematurely when Yufei was forced to retire with an injury.

Yufei appeared to have learnt from that encounter, making a strong start on Thursday and putting Sindhu under pressure early on. But the Indian ace responded brilliantly, producing an incredible fightback to take the opening game and move within touching distance of a place in the quarter-finals.

However, a slight niggle appeared to disrupt Sindhu’s momentum, while the home crowd began to rally behind Yufei. The Chinese star capitalised on the shift in momentum, saving four match points to force the contest into a decider.

The final game once again produced a thrilling back-and-forth battle, with both players showcasing their quality and refusing to give an inch. In the end, Yufei held her nerve to complete the comeback and avenge her Japan Open defeat.