Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu suffered a second successive defeat to world No. 1 An Se Young in as many weeks, bowing out of the Indonesia Open in the round of 16 on Thursday. The Indian shuttler, who had also lost to the South Korean in the quarterfinals of last week's Singapore Open, showed spark but only in patches as she went down 17-21, 14-21 in a contest that lasted 45 minutes.
Match Highlights
The match began on an even footing, with the scores locked at 10-10 midway through the opening game. Sindhu showcased glimpses of her best form, managing to put the Korean under pressure at times. She briefly edged ahead at 15-14 with some aggressive strokeplay, but An responded in trademark fashion, reeling off a series of points to take a 19-16 lead. The Korean then won two consecutive points, including a gruelling 41-shot rally, to seal the opening game.
An carried that momentum into the second game, moving smoothly around the court and racing to a 13-6 lead. Despite finding herself on the back foot, Sindhu continued to fight for every point and narrowed the gap on a few occasions. However, An's consistency and court coverage proved decisive as she closed out the match to advance to the quarterfinals.
Losing Streak Continues
The defeat extended Sindhu's losing streak against the reigning Olympic champion to 10 matches. The Indian is yet to register a win over An, who has dominated their recent encounters. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, will now look to regroup ahead of upcoming tournaments.
An Se Young, the world No. 1, continues her impressive form, having also won the Singapore Open last week. She will face a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Open.
