Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu’s impressive run came to a halt on Saturday after she suffered a straight-game defeat to China’s Wang Zhiyi in the women’s singles semifinals of the season-opening Malaysia Open Super 1000.The two-time Olympic medallist struggled to maintain consistency against the world No. 2, committing a series of unforced errors in a 16-21, 15-21 loss. Playing her first tournament since recovering from a foot injury that had sidelined her since October last year, Sindhu also surrendered an 11-6 lead in the second game.
The defeat brought an end to India’s campaign in the prestigious tournament.Sindhu started on an aggressive note, taking the fight to her higher-ranked opponent by hitting hard and using her reach to good effect. She unleashed her trademark cross-court smashes to surge to a 5-2 lead before Wang responded with deft touches to draw level through a string of points.A few errors from the Chinese shuttler allowed Sindhu to edge ahead 9-7, but Wang once again clawed back to take a narrow one-point advantage at the mid-game interval as Sindhu faltered at the net.Both players struggled to find length after the restart, with the scores locked at 13-13 and several points squandered at the backcourt. From 15-14, Wang stepped up the pressure with a barrage of attacking shots that cramped Sindhu, mixing them with well-judged lifts that floated just beyond reach.Wang surged to 18-14, dropped a point in a fierce rally, then earned four game points before closing out the opener as Sindhu pushed wide.The second game began with Sindhu falling behind 1-3 after committing two unforced errors, but she quickly regrouped, constructing rallies with authority to move ahead 6-3. Wang narrowed the gap briefly, yet Sindhu dominated the mid-phase by stretching her opponent to the corners with sharp angles, opening up an 11-6 lead at the interval.Wang returned from the break with renewed intent, engaging in brisk rallies, but Sindhu countered with precise net play to stay in front at 13-9. However, Wang mounted another comeback as Sindhu sprayed shots wide and into the net, levelling the score at 13-13 before taking control.A deft exchange at the net gave Wang a 16-13 cushion. Sindhu then missed the backline twice, and a backhand net error handed the Chinese shuttler five match points. The contest ended when Sindhu pushed another shot wide, sealing Wang Zhiyi’s place in the final.
