Badminton World C'ships: No medal! Sindhu suffers major setback in QF

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu’s bid for a record sixth World Championships medal came to an end on Friday after a narrow defeat to Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani in the quarterfinals.

The 2019 world champion lost 14-21, 21-13, 16-21 in a gripping 64-minute contest. Sindhu, a five-time medallist at the event, was looking to add another podium finish to her tally that began in 2013. But despite rallying strongly in the second game, she faltered at crucial moments in the decider, allowing ninth seed Wardani to seal her maiden Worlds medal. Wardani was sharp in the opening game, exploiting angles to keep Sindhu under pressure.

After the scores were tied at 3-3, a series of errors from the Indian saw the Indonesian take control and clinch the opener 21-14. The Indian, however, responded in style in the second game. Tightening her net play and dominating with powerful smashes, Sindhu surged ahead 16-6 before levelling the match with a 21-13 win. The decider turned into a battle of nerves. Sindhu fought back from an early deficit to make it 8-8 after a long rally, but Wardani kept her composure.

A series of precise smashes and clever placements helped the Indonesian edge ahead at 15-11. Sindhu threatened a comeback at 16-17, but Wardani’s consistency proved decisive. A late surge, capped by a body smash and a crucial error from Sindhu at the backline, gave Wardani the final push before the Indian hit wide to end the contest. Earlier in the day, India’s mixed doubles hopes also ended with Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto bowing out in straight games.

The pair went down 15-21, 13-21 to world No. 4 Malaysians Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei in the quarterfinals.

Sindhu, India’s only shuttler with Olympic medals at two consecutive Games, has struggled for form since her Commonwealth Games gold in 2022. Despite flashes of her old brilliance, injuries and inconsistency have hampered her progress, and her wait for another major title continues.