India at Tokyo: PV Sindhu smashes her way into last 16

PV SINDHU continued with her good form at the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday (28) when she overcame a challenge from Hong Kong’s Cheung Nagan Yi in a Group J game in women’s singles to enter the Round of 16. Sindhu, who won a silver at the Rio Games in 2016, won 21-9, 21-16.

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Sindhu, who is the sixth seed, will next face Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt, who topped Group I, in the elimination round. The ace Indian shuttler also topped her group by beating both her opponents, the first being Israel’s Ksenia Polikarpova. Blichfeldt is currently ranked 12th in the world, five positions lower than Sindhu. The knock-out stage will be held between July 29 and August 1.

PV Sindhu makes impressive start at Tokyo Games

Sindhu produced better court coverage in her match against Cheung, ranked 34th in the world, and her use of the angles helped her beat the opponent who has now lost her sixth consecutive career encounter against the Indian.

She raced to take an 11-5 lead and gave almost nothing in the forecourt with superb net play, wrapping up the first game 21-9.

Cheung made a valiant effort to return to the game, moving the tall Indian to the far backhand corner and even taking 7-6 lead. But Sindhu never allowed her game to drop and her power helped her overcome the bigger resistance she faced in the second game. The rallies grew stronger and Sindhu made it 15-14 and then it was no looking back for her. She got six match points and converted the third when she stepped into the net to smash her way into the last 16 and a step closer to the gold that she is eyeing.