Kumamoto Masters Japan: Sindhu exits in round of 16, Indian challenge ends

India's campaign at the ongoing Kumamoto Masters Japan 2024 ended with former world champion and Olympic medalist PV Sindhu getting eliminated in the round of 16 on Thursday. Sindhu, placed at number 20 in world rankings, started strongly but lost to Canada's world number 23, Michelle Li by 21-17, 16-21, 17-21, as per Olympics.com. Sindhu led by four points during the mid-game interval in the first game but Li managed to reduce the deficit, but Sindhu eventually gained a healthy lead to win the opening game.

Li, a former Commonwealth Games champion, mixed her shots really well and troubled Sindhu in the second game. Sindhu was once trailing at 8-3 and she fought back to level the scores to 9-9. Li dominated the opening stretch, winning six of the final eight points to force the decider. In the final game, both players exchanged the leads several time. However, Sindhu, who once had a 17-16 advantage, lost five successive points and the match.

This is Sindhu's fifth loss to Michelle in 15 matches, with three of them coming in four matches since last year. Sindhu is still on a Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title hunt, having last won the Singapore Open in July 2022.

In the first round on Wednesday, Sindhu beat Thailand's world number 11 Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-12, 21-18. Paris Olympics 2024 semifinalist Lakshya Sen and Commonwealth Games bronze medalists Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand failed to make the second round in men's singles and women's doubles, respectively. (ANI)