World Badminton Championships: PV Sindhu, Satwik-Chirag enter Round of 16

PV Sindhu showcased her trademark resilience once again, clawing her way back from being on the back foot to defeat Malaysia’s Letshanaa Karupathevan and book a place in the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals of the BWF World Championships on Wednesday. The two-time Olympic medallist, who had looked shaky in her opening-round win as well, rallied from 12-18 down in the first game to seal a 21-19, 21-15 victory in 42 minutes. Sindhu, the 2019 world champion, made a sluggish start. Letshanaa, ranked 40th in the world, attacked from the outset with sharp smashes and precise drops, racing ahead 11-8 at the interval. The Malaysian continued to dictate exchanges and stretched her advantage to 18-12, putting the Indian under pressure. But just as the game seemed to be slipping away, Sindhu turned it around with a six-point burst. Errors from Letshanaa and a timely smash from Sindhu brought the scores level at 18-all. From there, Sindhu held her nerve, striking cleanly at 19-19 to earn game point before closing it out as her opponent faltered on length. The comeback shifted momentum firmly in the Indian’s favour. In the second game, she jumped to a 5-1 lead and maintained control with sharp finishes at the net and consistent depth from the backline. Though Letshanaa kept fighting, misjudged leaves and unforced errors crept into her game as Sindhu pushed ahead 10-6 at the midway stage. Sindhu’s attacking play kept the Malaysian chasing, and once the Indian opened up a clear lead, there was little way back. Seven match points came Sindhu’s way after Letshanaa went long twice, and the contest ended when the Malaysian miscued a forehand. Earlier in the day, India’s mixed doubles pair Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto cruised past Ireland’s Joshua Magee and Moya Ryan 21-11, 21-16 to advance to the last 16. The duo will now meet Hong Kong’s fifth seeds Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet for a spot in the quarterfinals. Sindhu, meanwhile, lives to fight another day, her ability to dig deep once again rescuing her campaign at the Worlds.Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty battled past Chinese Taipei’s Yang Po Han and Liu Kuang Heng 22-20, 21-13 to enter the men’s doubles pre-quarterfinals. The Indians survived anxious moments in the opener, saving four game points before Chirag’s sharp return sealed it 22-20 in their favour. In the second game, the Indian pair quickly pulled ahead after the mid-game break, with coach Tan Kim Her urging them to stay aggressive. From 16-10, they accelerated further, converting their first match point to complete the straight-games win and continue their strong run at the BWF World Championships.