Paris, Aug 28 (PTI): In a stunning performance, two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu upset world number 2 Wang Zhi Yi of China to secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the World Championships. The doubles team of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also achieved a surprise victory against the fifth-seeded Hong Kong pair Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet on Thursday.
Ranked 15th, Sindhu, the World Champion of 2019, dispatched Wang in a 48-minute match by scores of 21-19, 21-15. This victory improved her head-to-head record against Wang to 3-2. Sindhu, aged 30, advances to face Indonesia's world number nine, Putri Kusuma Wardani, in the quarterfinals. She is now on the cusp of clinching her sixth World Championships medal, matching the all-time record.
The Indonesian Wardani has previously triumphed over Sindhu in straight sets at the Sudirman Cup, but Sindhu claimed victory in their 2022 Asian Games encounter. Sindhu remarked, "When I stepped onto the court, she was like any other player for me. I knew it's not going to be easy from round one in a World Championship. You have to fight for every point, every rally. I wanted to give my 100 per cent."
As a five-time World Championships medallist, Sindhu gained an early advantage in her match against Wang, leading 11-6 with a sequence of sharp attacks. Despite a strong comeback from Wang to level the score at 19-19, Sindhu maintained composure to clinch the game.
Sindhu commented on her strategy, "Of course, Wang Zhi Yi is a very good athlete, but it was not in my mind. I had to just be consistent and keep the shuttle in. I knew there would be long rallies… even though I was leading, she didn't give up. I was prepared for her pace changes, the tough smashes, and I was always quick on my feet."
In the second game, Sindhu continued to apply pressure, again reaching an 11-6 lead. Despite a grueling 57-shot rally, she regained control with aggressive play to close the match. Sindhu has an impressive track record against Chinese players at the World Championships, previously defeating notable shuttlers like Wang Yihan, Li Xuerui, and Chen Yufei over the years.
Reflecting on her approach, Sindhu said, "It's just one match at a time for me. I never thought about two rounds ahead or one round ahead. For me, it’s not over yet. I need to come back tomorrow much stronger, and be prepared for everything." Despite an inconsistent season, Sindhu remains motivated, stating, "Obviously there’s not much to prove, but at the end of the day, you know, there were lots of ups and downs. There were injuries. Things have not actually happened according to what I wanted. My coach told me one thing: 'just play your game and give your best, irrespective of the result'. That's what mattered for me here."
In another significant turn of events, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto defeated the world number 5 team from Hong Kong after a 63-minute clash. They came from a game down to secure the win 19-21, 21-12, 21-15, advancing to the quarterfinals and bringing them closer to their first-ever World Championships medal. Their next opponents will be Malaysia's fourth-ranked duo, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei.
Dhruv and Tanisha had earlier defeated the Irish pair Joshua Magee and Moya Ryan in a swift 35-minute match. Tanisha expressed her satisfaction with their performance stating, "We had a rough run a couple of months back. I think we are building together, step by step, slowly, slowly we are getting there. Really happy with the way we played today." She added, "We came prepared, prepared better this time. We didn't give up at any point in the match. Even after we lost the first set, we didn't let it get to us. We fought back even harder in the second and third. We kept pushing each other till the end, till the last shot. I think that was the real game changer today."
Reflecting on their strategy and mental resilience, Dhruv stated, "We started really good in the beginning of the year, two tournaments didn’t go well. There was no technical problem, but the main thing was we kept on supporting each other and came prepared well. Previously when we were losing the first game we were mentally down, but today we stayed strong."
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