PV Sindhu began her China Masters Super 750 campaign with a commanding performance, easing past Denmark’s Julie Dawall Jakobsen in straight games on Wednesday to book her spot in the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals in Shenzhen.
The two-time Olympic medallist, who has struggled with inconsistency on the BWF World Tour this year, needed just 27 minutes to dispatch her Danish opponent 21-4, 21-10. The dominant win is a timely boost for the 30-year-old Indian shuttler, coming just ten days after a disappointing first-round exit at the Hong Kong Open Super 500, where she was beaten by another Dane, Line Christophersen.
Sindhu, currently navigating a turbulent 2024 season with six first-round defeats, looked sharp and focused from the opening rally. She raced to an 11-2 lead in the first game before wrapping it up in just over 10 minutes, allowing Jakobsen only four points. In the second game, Jakobsen briefly levelled at 4-4, but Sindhu’s superior shot selection and court control saw her pull away once again. A six-point run from 11-8 to 17-8 sealed Jakobsen’s fate.
The win marks a reversal of their last encounter at the Yonex Swiss Open in March, where Jakobsen had forced Sindhu into a far more demanding contest.
Meanwhile, it was disappointment for India in the men’s singles and mixed doubles categories.
Ayush Shetty, facing a tough draw against sixth-seeded Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei, fought valiantly but went down 19-21, 21-12, 16-21 in a hard-fought match that lasted 68 minutes. After losing a closely contested first game, Shetty bounced back impressively in the second but couldn’t sustain the momentum in the decider.
In mixed doubles, the Indian pair of Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Gadde were ousted in straight games by Japan’s Yuichi Shimogami and Sayaka Hobara, losing 17-21, 11-21 in just 38 minutes.
With Shetty and the mixed doubles team exiting in the opening round, all eyes now turn to Sindhu as she carries the Indian challenge forward in Shenzhen. The emphatic nature of her win suggests a return to form — one that fans and followers will hope continues deeper into the tournament.
