New Delhi, August 2026 : Two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu’s bid to win a record sixth World Championships medal came to an end on Thursday after China’s Wang Zhi Yi defeated the Indian shuttler 21-11, 15-21, 21-17 in a fiercely contested Round-of-16 encounter at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
The defeat brought an end to Sindhu’s impressive run against Chinese opponents at the World Championships. The Indian had previously defeated Chinese players eight times at the prestigious tournament, but Wang became the first Chinese shuttler to beat her at the global championships.
The opening game was a closely fought affair initially, with both players displaying patience and refusing to commit easy errors. Long rallies dominated the early exchanges as Wang attempted to bring Sindhu towards the front court, while the Indian worked hard to prevent her opponent from finding opportunities to launch attacking strokes.
Wang held an 11-8 advantage at the interval and gradually took control after the break. Sindhu began making unforced errors and was occasionally caught out by misjudgements, allowing Wang to capitalise. The Chinese shuttler combined accurate drops with attacking strokes to build a decisive advantage and eventually wrapped up the opening game 21-11.
With the home crowd urging her on, Sindhu returned with a vastly improved approach in the second game. She showed greater patience in the rallies and quickly established a four-point lead as Wang struggled to reproduce her first-game consistency.
Wang attempted to extend rallies and test Sindhu’s endurance, but the Indian responded effectively with well-disguised drops and delicate dribbles. The Chinese player eventually fought back to level the score at 15-15, but Sindhu refused to let the momentum slip away.
The Indian then produced her best stretch of the match, winning six points in succession. She combined attacking winners with sustained pressure that forced Wang into mistakes, taking the second game 21-15 and sending the contest into a decider.
Sindhu made another strong start to the third game, racing to a 3-0 lead before extending the advantage to 8-4. Wang, however, remained composed and fought her way back into contention. A series of errors from Sindhu helped the Chinese player regain momentum, although the Indian still managed to hold a slender 11-10 lead at the interval.
The deciding game remained tightly contested as both players battled for every point. At 16-16, Wang suffered a heavy fall and required a medical timeout. After play resumed, Sindhu struggled to regain her rhythm at a crucial stage of the contest.
The Indian committed four consecutive errors, allowing Wang to move to match point. The World No. 3 did not waste the opportunity, producing a precise drop to close out the match 21-17 and book her place in the quarterfinals.
For Sindhu, the loss marked a disappointing end to her World Championships campaign and denied her the opportunity to add another medal to her remarkable collection. The Indian star will now turn her attention to the upcoming Asian Games, where she will look to bounce back and continue her pursuit of major international honours.
