New Delhi, March 12 (NationPress) Two-time Olympic champion P.V. Sindhu faced a disappointing first-round elimination at the All-England Badminton Championship 2025, succumbing to South Korea's Kim Ga-eun in Birmingham on Wednesday. Despite an encouraging start, the World No. 16 lost with scores of 21-19, 13-21, and 13-21, marking her ongoing challenges at this esteemed Super 1000 tournament.

Sindhu initially seemed in command, racing to a 19-12 lead in the first game. However, Kim rallied back, saving seven game points before Sindhu finally clinched the opener 21-19. With a relieved roar, Sindhu appeared ready to capitalize on her momentum. Yet, the subsequent games saw a dramatic reversal.

Kim took charge of the rallies in the following games, exploiting Sindhu's disrupted rhythm and mobility. The Indian player, visibly taped on her right knee, struggled against Kim's cross-court shots and decisive net actions.

In the final game, Sindhu appeared demoralized as Kim upheld her intensity, concluding the match in just over an hour. This defeat signifies Sindhu's fourth consecutive early exit at the All-England Open since her semifinal appearance in 2021, further emphasizing her inconsistencies at this event.

After missing out on the medal podium at the Paris Olympics last year, Sindhu has been aiming for a fresh chapter under her new Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, with whom she started working in January 2025. She kicked off the year with a quarterfinal finish at the India Open but had to withdraw due to a hamstring injury in February. Unfortunately, her return at the All-England ended in disappointment.

In other news, Malvika Bansod shocked World No. 12 Yeo Jia Min in the first round of the women's singles and will now challenge third seed Akane Yamaguchi. Meanwhile, former finalist Lakshya Sen overcame Taiwan’s Su Li Yang to move into the second round.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Indian mixed doubles duo of Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde displayed remarkable determination to advance to the second round. They triumphed over Chinese Taipei’s Ye Hong Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan in a thrilling first-round clash at Arena Birmingham.

Ranked 40th globally, Rohan and Ruthvika delivered a strong performance, clinching a hard-fought victory with scores of 21-10, 17-21, and 24-22. They dominated the opening game with sharp net play and precise smashes, but their opponents rallied in the second, leading to a decisive third game. In an intense final game, both pairs fought fiercely, but the Indian duo maintained composure in critical moments to secure the win.

This success sets Rohan and Ruthvika up for a challenging second-round match against the fifth-seeded Chinese pair, Yan Zhe Feng and Ya Xin Wei.

India's performance varied on Tuesday, with Lakshya Sen and Malvika Bansod advancing in men's and women's singles, respectively. However, H.S. Prannoy was eliminated in the first round, losing to Toma Junior Popov of France in straight games.

In mixed doubles, Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath were unable to progress past the first round after losing 21-6, 21-15 to China’s Guo Xin Wa and Chen Fang Hui.