Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu delivered a masterclass performance on Thursday to storm into the women’s singles quarterfinals of the Hylo Open Super 500 badminton tournament. Fresh off her strong runner-up finish at the French Open, the second-seeded Indian star secured a commanding straight-game victory over France’s Rosy Oktavia Pancasari in rapid fashion.
While Sindhu comfortably advanced, her compatriots Malvika Bansod and Isharani Baruah faced early exits from the tournament following hard-fought encounters against their respective international opponents. Sindhu completely controlled the tempo from the opening serve, showcasing the aggressive style of play that has made her one of the most formidable competitors on the global badminton circuit.
Match Dominance and Next Challenge
Sindhu needed just 26 minutes to dismantle Pancasari 21-9, 21-6 on the court. The former world champion utterly dominated proceedings, winning a staggering 42 of the 57 total points played and restricting her French opponent to a mere 15 points across two lopsided games. Having already dispatched Prakriti Bharath in the opening round, the seasoned Indian campaigner now advances to face Amalie Schulz in the next stage of the tournament.
- PV Sindhu defeated Rosy Oktavia Pancasari 21-9, 21-6 in 26 minutes.
- Sindhu won 42 out of 57 total points played during the second-round match.
- Malvika Bansod lost to Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang 11-21, 17-21 in 31 minutes.
- Isharani Baruah bowed out after a 14-21, 19-21 defeat against Denmark’s Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt.
Camp Disappointments and Upcoming Fixtures
The rest of the Indian contingent experienced mixed fortunes on Thursday as Bansod struggled to match the high intensity of Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang, eventually going down 11-21, 17-21 in a 31-minute battle. Although Bansod put up an improved display in the second game, she failed to force a decisive third game.
Similarly, Isharani Baruah exited the competition after a 39-minute contest against eighth seed Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt of Denmark, losing 14-21, 19-21 despite mounting a spirited comeback in the latter stages of the second game. Other Indian shuttlers scheduled for action later in the day included sixth seed Unnati Hooda facing Frederikke Ostergaard, alongside an all-Indian men’s singles clash featuring top-ranked Lakshya Sen against Kiran George, as the tournament heads deeper into the competitive rounds.
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