Sindhu Shines, Srikanth Stumbles at French Open: Indian Roundup

The French Open badminton tournament witnessed mixed fortunes for India on Thursday. While PV Sindhu continued her impressive run, advancing to the women’s singles quarterfinals, Kidambi Srikanth’s campaign ended with a disappointing defeat in the round of 16.

Sindhu Battles Back for Quarterfinal Berth

• P.V. Sindhu rallied from a game down to defeat World No. 10 Beiwen Zhang of the USA 13-21, 21-10, 21-14.
• This marks her first BWF tour event win since returning from a knee injury and her first quarterfinal of the season.
• She will face a tough test next against either Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei (China) or Line Christophersen (Denmark).

Srikanth Falters in Round of 16

• Despite holding a perfect 5-0 record against Guang Zu (China) before the match, Srikanth lost 21-19, 12-21, 20-22 in a close battle lasting 78 minutes.
• This defeat continues his struggles in the round of 16, highlighting the need to overcome this hurdle in his quest for top form.

Treesa-Gayatri Upset Former World No. 1 Pair

• The Indian doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand registered a surprise victory over the former World No. 1 Japanese duo of Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota.
• They won 18-21, 21-13 in a 46-minute match, securing their place in the women’s doubles quarterfinals.

Overall, the French Open witnessed a display of resilience from P.V. Sindhu and a promising win from the young doubles pair of Treesa-Gayatri. However, Srikanth’s defeat highlights the need for him to overcome his recent challenges in the round of 16 stage.