Former world champion PV Sindhu faced a challenging first-round match but ultimately secured a straight-games victory over Japan’s Manami Suizu in the opening round of the Indonesia Masters on Wednesday.
Match Summary
Sindhu had a surprising start in the first game, trailing 2-11 at the mid-game break. Despite having to defend against four game points, she managed to win the game 22-20, scoring six consecutive points. In the second game, she led throughout but couldn’t establish a comfortable lead until she ultimately won 21-18.
The Indian ace will face either Denmark’s Line Kjaersfeldt or China’s Han Qian Xi in the second round.
Kidambi Srikanth’s Thrilling Encounter
Meanwhile, former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth, who reached the finals of the Malaysia Masters and Syed Modi International last year, faced Japan’s Koki Watanabe in an exciting first-round match. Srikanth edged out his opponent with a scoreline of 21-15, 21-23, 24-22.
After a strong start with aggressive shot-making in the opening game, Srikanth’s performance faltered in the second as he made several errors, allowing Watanabe to catch up. In the third, he led 7-4, but errors continued to plague his game. Ultimately, Srikanth’s aggressive stroke play helped him secure the win during crucial moments, keeping Watanabe at bay.
Srikanth will next face fourth seed Chou Tien Chen in the second round.
Additional Updates
On Tuesday, Indian shuttlers Anmol Kharb and Aakarshi Kashyap secured their spots in the women’s singles main draw with notable victories in the qualifying rounds. However, Aakarshi was eliminated after losing three games in her main draw opener, and Kiran George lost in straight games in his men’s singles opener.
The mixed doubles teams of Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto and Rohan Kapoor/Ruthvika Shivani Gadde both fell in the first round to French pairs.