P V Sindhu Upsets World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi to Reach World Championship Quarters

Paris, Aug 28 (PTI) Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu delivered a stunning performance by defeating world number 2 Wang Zhi Yi of China to advance to the quarterfinals of the World Championships on Thursday. The 15th-ranked Sindhu, who claimed the world title in 2019 in Basel, took 48 minutes to secure a 21-19, 21-15 victory in the pre-quarterfinals, improving her head-to-head record against the Chinese player to 3-2.

The 30-year-old Indian shuttler will now go up against world number nine Putri Kusuma Wardani from Indonesia in the quarterfinals. Sindhu is just one victory away from securing a record-equalling sixth World Championships medal. Although the Indonesian had previously defeated Sindhu in straight games at the Sudirman Cup earlier this year, the Indian had emerged victorious in their Asian Games round-two encounter in 2022.

Sindhu, a five-time World Championships medallist, made an impressive start in the opening game, surging to an 11-6 lead at the mid-game interval with sharp smashes and precise net play. Wang mounted a strong comeback to level the score at 19-19, but Sindhu kept her composure to seal the game. In the second game, Sindhu maintained her pressure, establishing another 11-6 lead at the break. Despite a grueling 57-shot rally that tested her resilience, she regained control with aggressive, decisive play to close out the match.

Sindhu's victory extends her exceptional record against Chinese players at the World Championships, having previously defeated top shuttlers like Wang Yihan (2013), Wang Shixian (2014), Li Xuerui (2015), Sun Yu (2017), and Chen Yufei (2017 and 2019).

Another Upset India's Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also notched a significant upset by overcoming Hong Kong's world number 5 pairing of Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet in a 63-minute contest, winning 19-21, 21-12, 21-15 to advance to the quarterfinals. The Indian duo had earlier eased past Ireland's Joshua Magee and Moya Ryan in straight games, 21-11, 21-16, in just 35 minutes. Despite dropping the first game against the reigning Asian champions, they showcased a determined fightback to clinch victory.

"We had a rough patch a couple of months ago. I think we are rebuilding step by step. Really happy with our performance today," Tanisha expressed. "We came better prepared this time and didn’t give up at any stage, even after losing the first game. We pushed each other till the end, which was the game changer today."

The Indian pair had experienced a challenging start to the year, faltering in the round of 16 at the Malaysia Open and India Open before reaching the semifinals at the German Open in February. However, they faced early exits at the Orleans Masters and All England Championships thereafter. Dhruv spoke about their resurgence, saying, "We started the year well but faced setbacks in two tournaments. Staying mentally strong, supporting each other, and preparing better helped us turn things around today."

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