Rising Star Unnati Hooda Stuns PV Sindhu at China Open

Changzhou (China), Jul 24 (PTI): Young Indian badminton prodigy Unnati Hooda achieved a landmark victory by defeating PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, in a thrilling three-game match, advancing to the quarters of the China Open Super 1000 event on Thursday.

Only facing Sindhu for the second time, the 17-year-old from Rohtak displayed remarkable composure in crucial moments, securing a stunning 21-16, 19-21, 21-13 win in 73 minutes.

This marks Sindhu's first defeat by a fellow Indian in an international event in over seven years, her last loss being the 2018 Commonwealth Games final against Saina Nehwal and subsequently in the 2019 National Championships final.

Hooda, a two-time Super 100 title winner at the 2022 Odisha Masters and 2023 Abu Dhabi Masters, will next face Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, the third seed and a two-time world champion.

“I didn't expect to win today,” Hooda confessed post-match, expressing surprise at her own triumph. “I came in determined to give my all, irrespective of the result.”

Discussing the match, she noted, “I wasted two Hawkeye challenges, which was frustrating as Sindhu took control in the second game. However, I focused on patience in the decider.”

Sindhu admitted to difficulties controlling the shuttle due to court conditions, congratulating Hooda on her performance and wishing her luck for future matches.

Meanwhile, the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty showcased tactical discipline to defeat the eighth-seeded Indonesian pair of Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana with a straight 21-19, 21-19 victory, advancing to the quarters.

On the other hand, HS Prannoy exited after a hard-fought 21-18, 15-21, 8-21 defeat to sixth-seed Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei.

Sindhu, ranked world No. 15, had come off a strong performance against Tomoka Miyazaki but couldn’t match Hooda’s speed and energy. From a close 13-all tie, Hooda pulled ahead with four consecutive points to clinch the first game 21-16, putting Sindhu on the defensive.

The second game was closely contested, with Sindhu eventually finding a breakthrough at 19-all with a brilliant drop and a precise smash, winning 21-19 and forcing a decider.

In the final game, a dip in Sindhu's consistency allowed Hooda to capitalize on unforced errors, racing to an 11-6 mid-game lead with powerful forehand smashes.

Despite Sindhu narrowing the gap to 12-15 with some winners, Hooda maintained her composure, using effective cross-court placements to stay ahead.

At 20-13, she wrapped up the match with a decisive forehand winner, marking a significant milestone in her burgeoning career. Now ranked world No. 35, Hooda has consistently challenged higher-ranked opponents this season.

Elsewhere, the duo of Satwik and Chirag prevailed in key moments, turning a 14-12 deficit in the first game and a 10-14 in the second into victories, thanks to crucial point streaks.

Chirag commented on the match's dynamic nature, noting the back-and-forth play before securing a crucial series of points at 16-all.

He emphasized their gradual improvement while acknowledging the need for playing more tournaments to elevate their game further.

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