French Open: PV Sindhu exits, Satwiksairaj-Chirag, Lakshya advance to semis

According to Olympics.com, the world number 11 Indian won the first game but lost the next two to the second-ranked shuttler from China in a 92-minute match, ending with scores of 24-22, 17-21, 18-21.

Paris: Two-time Olympic gold medalist and Indian shuttler PV Sindhu ended her campaign at the ongoing French Open badminton competition with a loss to the Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei in the women’s singles quarterfinals.

After winning the first game in the match on Friday, the world number 11 Indian lost the next two games to the second-ranked shuttler from China, losing the 92-minute match by 24-22, 17-21, 18-21, as per Olympics.com.

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It was Sindhu’s third straight three-game match at the French Open, which is her first Badminton World Federation (BWF) event after injury. She had secured close wins over Canada’s Michelle Li and USA’s Beiwen Zhang in the earlier rounds.

“The most important thing is to stay at 100 per cent, both mentally and physically, and also to stay injury-free,” said the 28-year-old Sindhu after the match on Friday.

“I am happy that I came back and am doing well and I think the overall tournament went well for me. I am really looking forward to playing here again during the Olympics,” Sindhu added.

Now, Sindhu will be turning her attention to the All England Open, which will be starting next week.

In the men’s doubles competition, the top-ranked duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty reached the semifinals with a win over 32nd-ranked Supak Jomkoh and Kittinupong Kedren of Thailand by 21-19, 21-13 in two games. The 2022 champions of the tournament will be meeting current world champions Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae of the Republic of Korea in their final-four clash.

In the men’s singles, Lakshya Sen registered an incredible come-from-back victory over Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew by 19-21, 21-15, 21-13 to reach the semifinals. After this 76-minute match, Lakshya will face the current world champion, Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand. Sen played the quarterfinal clash despite a bruised finger but braved all odds to secure his first semifinal appearance since the Japan Open in 2023.