Changzhou, Jul 23 (PTI) — Double Olympic medallist P V Sindhu outshined world number six Tomoka Miyazaki of Japan to open her China Open Super 1000 badminton tournament campaign with a strong start on Wednesday. Sindhu, a former world champion, claimed a 21-15, 8-21, 21-17 victory over the 2022 world junior champion Miyazaki in a match that lasted 62 minutes.
"This was a much-anticipated win for me. It was crucial to cross the first round. The match extended to three games, and taking the lead early in the third set was necessary as one side of the court was at a disadvantage," Sindhu explained. "I started well, but controlling the second game was tough. In the third, maintaining the lead was key. Winning these matches is important for my morale and confidence, especially when I've been narrowly missing victories. I need to keep up this momentum."
Sindhu, aged 30, from Hyderabad, will next compete against fellow Indian Unnati Hooda, who has two Super 100 titles from the 2022 Odisha Masters and 2023 Abu Dhabi Masters under her belt. The 17-year-old Unnati surprised Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour, a Commonwealth Games double medallist, with a 21-11, 21-16 triumph in just 36 minutes at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium.
The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, ranked No. 15 globally, also made a remarkable start by defeating Japan's Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura 21-13, 21-9 in a swift 31-minute match. The Asian Games champions are set to face Indonesia’s eight-seeded pair Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana next.
Sindhu's match against Miyazaki began with a dominant performance, as she surged ahead with seven consecutive points to lead 13-5, eventually clinching the first game. Miyazaki mounted a fierce comeback in the second, earning nine points in a row to lead 12-8 and leveling the match. Sindhu regained her composure in the decisive game, keeping a steady lead to secure her victory in 62 minutes.
Currently ranked 15th globally, Sindhu had faced 18-year-old Miyazaki once before, losing to her at the Swiss Open last year. Sindhu aims to recuperate from a series of early exits this season, including a first-round defeat at the Super 750 Japan Open to Korea's Sim Yu Jin and several first or second-round losses at events like the Indonesia Open, Singapore Open, Malaysia Masters, Asian Championships, Swiss Open, All England Open, and Indonesia Masters.
In men's doubles, Satwik and Chirag showcased a cohesive performance, pressuring their opponents to comfortably win the first game and securing an even more decisive victory in the second. The former world No. 1 pair is eager to surpass their semi-final hurdles this season, having reached the last four at the Malaysia Open, India Open, and Singapore Open.
On the downside, the women's doubles team of Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda faced disappointment, losing to Hong Kong's Nga Ting Yeung and Pui Lam Yeung 12-21, 13-21 in 31 minutes.
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