Sindhu crashes out early at India Open; Srikanth eyes extended winning run
Sindhu crashes out early at India Open; Srikanth eyes extended winning run
Sindhu exits in round one as Srikanth rides momentum; venue feedback adds a subplot at the India Open Super 750 in Delhi.
In Delhi, the India Open Super 750, a $950,000 prize event, unfolded with surprises as P.V. Sindhu crashed out in the opening round against Vietnam's Thuy Linh Nguyen, leaving fans and analysts debating what comes next for the former world champion. "Definitely I need to be a lot more consistent, specially when I am giving away easy, continuous points, I need to break the flow after losing a point," Sindhu said, acknowledging the need to tighten her game after long rallies and high-pressure exchanges that swung the match away from her. The setback marks a tough start but also a clear call for adjustment ahead of future tournaments.
Kidambi Srikanth, by contrast, found a smoother path to a win in his match against Tharun Mannepalli. The Indian ace admitted he had a hesitant moment in the opening: "Halfway through the first game, I was thinking why I was not playing the way I wanted to, probably I didn’t move as quickly or somehow couldn’t start the way I wanted, but happy with the way I ended." He used the second game to recalibrate, and reflected on how close things can be decided by a small margin: "With the second game I got some confidence and then when he took that break leading 19-17, it gave me a little more time to calm down and try and understand what was happening and play accordingly. A couple of points here and there and things could have been very different. Just 1-2 net cords can change the whole outcome so I was just hoping for no net cords."
The broader dialogue around the venue also gained attention. Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt criticised the playing conditions, though Sindhu backed the facilities, calling the event a good trial ahead of the World Championships. Other players offered a range of views, signaling a tournament at a pivotal moment for Indian badminton as it balances athlete comfort with a high-stakes global benchmark.
Overall, the day highlighted two arcs: Sindhu’s drive to regain consistency against a tricky opponent and Srikanth’s ability to steadies his rhythm under pressure, both unfolding against a backdrop of venue conversations that could influence how the circuit approaches big events in the year ahead.
