Did Sindhu Defeat World No. 6 Tomoka Miyazaki to Advance?

Changzhou, July 23 (NationPress) Indian shuttler PV Sindhu, a double Olympic medallist, has advanced to the round of 16 at the China Open by defeating Japan's sixth seed Tomoka Miyazaki with scores of 21-15, 8-21, 21-17 on Wednesday.

Sindhu began the match with impressive momentum, quickly establishing a 6-2 lead through her excellent control and composure on the court. Her precise lunges and well-timed lifts allowed her to maintain effective shuttle play. The lead expanded to 10-5 and then to 16-9. Despite Miyazaki's attempts to stage a comeback, Sindhu's early dominance secured her the first game at 21-15.

In the second game, Miyazaki discovered her form and, following a closely contested opening, seized an 11-7 lead at the interval. She carried this momentum forward to dominate the game 21-8, pushing the match into a decisive third game.

Sindhu came out strong in the final game, quickly racing to a 5-1 advantage as she capitalized on a series of errors from Miyazaki. She extended her lead to 11-2 at the mid-game interval. Even as Miyazaki tried to recover, Sindhu maintained her composure, pushing her lead to 17-9 before finishing the match in 62 minutes to secure her place in the next round.

This year has been challenging for Sindhu in the 2025 BWF World Tour, with her best performance being a quarter-final finish at the India Open in January, followed by four first-round exits and two round of 16 finishes. Recently, she faced a defeat against Korea's Sim Yu Jin in the Super 750 Japan Open.

"This victory was long-awaited for me, and defeating her was tough. The first round was crucial, and I'm thrilled to have passed it. It was a three-game match, and it was vital to take the lead early, especially since one side had a disadvantage," Sindhu remarked.

She continued, "I started strong, but controlling the second game was difficult. In the third game, it was essential to maintain the lead, no matter how small, as anything could happen. I managed to reach 11-2 and then had to keep pushing forward."

This was Sindhu's second encounter with the 18-year-old Miyazaki, who had previously bested her at the Swiss Open last year.

Reflecting on Miyazaki, Sindhu noted, "She has been performing well for some time now. Winning these matches is crucial for my morale and confidence. I've been in close matches before but fell short, so this win means a lot. Despite her youth, she's excelling and ranks among the top players right now."

In men's doubles, the duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty showcased a remarkable performance, advancing to the round of 16 after defeating Japan's Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura with a convincing 21-13, 21-9 victory.

In women's doubles, the Panda sisters, Rutaparna and Swetaparna, faced a tough battle against the seasoned duo from Hong Kong, concluding their campaign.