Odense: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu staged a remarkable comeback to defeat China’s Han Yue in the round of 16 of the Denmark Open Super 750 tournament on Thursday. Sindhu overcame a first-game deficit to outlast the fourth seed and World No. 7, winning 18-21, 21-12, 21-16 in a gruelling match that lasted over an hour.
The Indian shuttler, ranked World No. 18, entered the contest with a strong 6-1 head-to-head record against Han Yue, but the match didn’t start in her favour.
In the first game, Han’s precision and power saw her take an 11-9 lead at the mid-game interval, and she extended that advantage to 18-13 as Sindhu struggled to find her rhythm. Despite saving four game points, Sindhu couldn’t stop Han from clinching the opener with a blistering cross-court smash.
Refusing to back down, Sindhu made a strong start in the second game, reeling off three quick points. Han’s unforced errors began to mount, and Sindhu capitalised, leading 11-6 at the interval. With renewed confidence, she dominated the rest of the set, closing it out 21-12 to force a decider.
The third game saw Han once again take the upper hand, leading 11-7 at the break. However, Sindhu launched a spirited fightback, winning four consecutive points, including a thrilling 29-shot rally that brought the crowd to its feet. From 15-16 down, the Indian star pressed top gear, winning six straight points to clinch the match and secure her place in the quarterfinals.
Earlier in the tournament, Sindhu had an easier outing in the first round, where she led 21-8, 13-7 against Chinese Taipei’s Pai Yu Po before her opponent retired from the match.
This victory marks an important turnaround for Sindhu, who had faced disappointment in her previous outing at the Arctic Open in Finland, where she was eliminated in the first round. Now back in winning form, Sindhu will face a tough challenge in the quarterfinals on Friday, where she will meet either Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, the Paris Olympics bronze medallist, or Denmark’s local favourite, Mia Blichfeldt.
–IANS
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