Kuala Lumpur, Jan 10 (NationPress) P V Sindhu, the renowned Indian badminton player, saw her journey in the season-opening Malaysia Open BWF World Tour Super 1000 come to an unfortunate end on Saturday. She faced a straight-sets defeat against China’s Wang Zhiyi during the semifinals of the women’s singles event.

The two-time Olympic champion found it challenging to maintain her performance against the world’s second-ranked player, ultimately losing 16-21, 15-21 in a match characterized by critical unforced errors. This outcome also concluded India’s representation in the tournament.

Participating in her first competition since recovering from a foot injury that kept her from playing since October of the previous year, Sindhu displayed initial promise but could not keep the pressure on. In the second game, she relinquished an early 11-6 lead as Wang staged a remarkable comeback.

Sindhu commenced the match on a strong note, employing powerful strokes and leveraging her height and reach effectively. Her signature cross-court smashes propelled her to a 5-2 advantage in the first game. However, Wang countered with crafty net play, quickly leveling the scores. While a few mistakes from the Chinese player allowed the 30-year-old Sindhu to pull ahead 9-7, Wang regained control to lead at the mid-game interval as Sindhu stumbled at the net.

The match remained evenly contested post-break, with both athletes struggling for precision and exchanging errors as the score reached 13-13. Wang then intensified her game, delivering a series of aggressive shots and mixing in well-placed lifts to surge ahead to an 18-14 lead. Despite Sindhu’s brief resistance, Wang clinched the first game after Sindhu sent a shot wide.

In the second game, Sindhu once again began strongly after a slow start, carefully constructing points to establish a 6-3 lead, which she extended to 11-6 at the interval by pushing Wang into the corners. Nevertheless, Wang returned with renewed vigor, gradually closing the gap as errors began to plague Sindhu.

With the score tied at 13-13, the Chinese player seized the moment, employing sharp net exchanges to gain a 16-13 advantage. Sindhu's struggles continued as she missed the backline twice, handing Wang five match points. The match concluded when another miscalculated shot from Sindhu confirmed Wang’s place in the final.

Despite this loss, Sindhu’s semifinal appearance signals a promising return following her injury, offering encouraging signs for the rest of the season.