P V Sindhu’s Paris run ends; mixed doubles pair Dhruv-Tanisha also bow out

P V Sindhu’s fine run came to an end in Paris on Friday. After her win over the second-seeded Chinese shuttler Wang Zhi Yi on Thursday, there were hopes that the world No. 15 shuttler would get through the quarterfinals, which would have ensured a record sixth medal in the women’s singles of the BWF World Championships. However, despite an encouraging fightback, Sindhu ran out of steam against her younger rival towards the end. It was also heartbreak time for the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, who bowed out in the quarterfinals.

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Sindhu’s run was halted by Indonesian Putri Kusuma Wardani. Seeded ninth, Wardani edged past Sindhu 21-14, 13-21, 21-16 in a battle that lasted 63 minutes. Sindhu didn’t have a smooth beginning, with Wardani breaking away after the score was tied at 6-6 to take an 11-7 lead into the mid-game break of the opening game.

Sindhu never found her rhythm in the opener and lost 14-21. The 23-year-old Indonesian did not give Sindhu, 30, too many chances to attack and kept the shuttle flat and tight. Sindhu was in her elements in the second game, taking the initiative to attack more, and following her smashes up to the net for the kill with taps. Wardani looked rattled as Sindhu ran up a comfortable 14-6 lead. The tall Hyderabadi maintained her big lead to close the game 21-13.

In the deciding game, Wardani, ranked ninth, managed to stay ahead, but Sindhu kept the gap within three points with some powerful hitting. Neither shuttler was willing to give an inch as they gave their all during a thrilling 50-stroke rally which finally ended in Sindhu’s favour. At 16-17, it looked like Sindhu would stage a comeback. However, the Indonesian shifted gears, reeling off four successive points to shatter the hopes of Sindhu. Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu, who is now training at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bengaluru, was just a win away from pocketing the unprecedented sixth medal and leapfrogging two-time Olympic champion Zhang Ning of China, who also holds five World Championships medals. Sindhu, who first made her mark at the Worlds with back-to-back bronze medals in 2013 (Guangzhou) and 2014 (Copenhagen), went on to add silver in 2017 (Glasgow) and 2018 (Nanjing).

She finally grabbed the gold medal in 2019 (Basel). Since then, there has been a slip in form. Earlier, Dhruv and Tanisha crashed out after losing to Malaysians Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, ranked fourth. Chasing India’s maiden mixed doubles medal at the Worlds, Dhruv and Tanisha went down 15-21, 13-21 in 37 minutes. A win would have guaranteed them at least a bronze. The world No. 17 Indian combination had pulled off a major upset in the pre-quarters, shocking Hong Kong’s world No. 5 pair of Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet in a three-game battle, but they failed to carry that momentum into Friday’s clash. The men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty now remain India’s sole medal hope.