Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu’s hopes of winning a third successive medal at the Paris Olympics came to an end after suffering a straight-game defeat against Chinese shuttler He Bingjiao in the women’s singles Round of 16 clash on Thursday.
Seeded sixth in the tournament, Sindhu looked good in the opening stages of the first game but couldn’t maintain the intensity as her opponent upped the ante. The Chinese left-hander pegged Sindhu back with her retrieving skills and precise netplay to win a close first game 21-19.
In the second game, Sindhu struggled to keep pace with Bingjiao’s speed and court coverage. The Chinese attacked relentlessly and didn’t allow Sindhu any room to dominate the rallies. Leading 8-2 early in the second game, Bingjiao kept dictating the pace with her varied return shots. Sindhu fought hard but ended up losing the second game and the match 13-21.
Speaking after the match, Sindhu conceded she made too many unforced errors and couldn’t execute her plans in the crucial moments. However, the Indian ace praised Bingjiao’s performance, saying one has to accept defeat gracefully in sport.
With Sindhu’s exit, India’s campaign in the badminton competition of the Paris Olympics came to an end. It was a disappointing result for the fans back home who were hoping Sindhu would script history by becoming the first Indian to win three Olympic medals in an individual sport. But Bingjiao had other ideas as she avenged her Tokyo Olympics bronze medal defeat to Sindhu in style.
