Indonesia Open 2024: PV Sindhu Faces Shocking Exit After Losing to Taiwanese Opponent in First Round

Two-time Olympic medalist and ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu faced a disappointing first-round defeat at the Indonesia Open 2024 in Jakarta on Wednesday. Sindhu lost to Taiwan’s Wen Chi Hsu with scores of 21-15, 15-21, and 21-14 in the women’s singles. The match lasted for one hour and ten minutes.

The Taiwanese shuttler dominated the first set, sealing it at 21-15. Sindhu made a comeback in the second set, winning 15-21. However, she failed to maintain the momentum in the third set, losing 21-14.

This defeat follows Sindhu’s second-round exit at the Singapore Open, where she lost to Spain’s Carolina Marin in a three-game thriller with scores of 21-13, 11-21, and 20-22. This marked Sindhu’s sixth consecutive defeat to Marin, with her last victory over the Spanish player occurring in the Malaysia Open 2018 quarterfinals. Marin, who defeated Sindhu in the Rio 2016 Olympic final, now holds a 12-6 head-to-head record against Sindhu.

Sindhu, currently ranked 12th in the world, had a promising start against Marin but ultimately couldn’t maintain her lead, losing the third game despite being ahead 18-15 at one point. Marin’s focus and determination led her to a comeback victory.

In the women’s doubles, the Indian pair of Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda also faced an early exit. They lost to South Korea’s Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong with scores of 21-12 and 21-9. The match lasted just 36 minutes, with the South Korean pair dominating from the start and winning in straight sets.

These defeats mark a challenging phase for Indian shuttlers at the Indonesia Open 2024, highlighting the competitive nature of the tournament.