NEW DELHI: PV Sindhu‘s impressive resurgence continued at the China Open on Wednesday as the two-time Olympic medallist battled past rising Indian teenager Unnati Hooda to book her place in the second round, while Ayush Shetty stole the spotlight with a stunning upset over world No. 11 Alwi Farhan.Just days after ending a two-year title drought by winning the Japan Open, Sindhu showed grit and composure to overcome the spirited challenge of 18-year-old Unnati 21-14, 9-21, 21-10 in a 56-minute women’s singles opening-round clash at the BWF Super 1000 event.The victory extends Sindhu’s winning momentum as the former world champion continues to rediscover her best form ahead of a crucial stretch of the international season.
Sindhu survives Unnati’s spirited challenge
The opening game was closely contested, with Unnati matching Sindhu point for point until 7-7. The experienced Indian then shifted gears, reeling off five consecutive points to establish a commanding lead before comfortably wrapping up the game 21-14.The second game, however, belonged entirely to the teenager.After the scores were level at 2-2, Unnati raced ahead 6-3 and then strung together six straight points to open up a massive 12-4 advantage. Sindhu struggled to find her rhythm as the youngster maintained complete control, cruising to a dominant 21-9 win to force a decider.The final game showcased Sindhu’s experience. After a competitive start, the 30-year-old gradually took control, extending her lead from 6-3 to 10-5 and later 15-8 before sealing a convincing 21-10 victory.Sindhu now faces a blockbuster second-round clash against fourth seed and home favourite Chen Yufei, whom she defeated in straight games during the Japan Open semifinals last week. Chen, however, still holds a slender 8-7 head-to-head edge over the Indian star.
Ayush Shetty scripts major upset
While Sindhu progressed as expected, Ayush Shetty produced one of the biggest shocks of the opening round by knocking out Indonesia’s world No. 11 and former world junior champion Alwi Farhan.Shetty recovered from losing the opening game to register a memorable 17-21, 21-5, 21-17 victory in 57 minutes.The Indian displayed remarkable composure after falling behind early, completely dominating the second game before holding his nerve in a tense decider to complete one of the finest wins of his career.The victory is another significant milestone for the promising youngster, who continues to make his mark against higher-ranked opponents on the BWF World Tour.
Mixed fortunes for India
India’s campaign, however, ended for several doubles pairs.Hariharan Amsakarunan and M.R. Arjun suffered a 16-21, 7-21 defeat against Chinese duo Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang in the men’s doubles.In mixed doubles, Rohan Kapoor and Gadde Ruthvika Shivani went down 9-21, 16-21 to top seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping, while Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto lost 18-21, 18-21 to fifth-seeded Chinese pair Guo Xin Wa and Chen Fang Hui.
