TOKYO, July 29: Reigning badminton world champion P V Sindhu sailed into the women’s singles quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics with a straight-game triumph over Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt here on Thursday.
The 26-year-old Indian, who won a silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics, completed a 21-15, 21-13 win over 13th seed Blichfeldt in a 41-minute match.
“I started off well in the first game but around 15-16 I gave a couple of points because I was rushing in my defence. My coach was telling me that I was playing the wrong way and I realised that and I immediately changed my tactics and completed the first game,” Sindhu told media after the match.
“Second game I was fine, I was maintaining the lead and finished it off.”
Sindhu will next face Akane Yamaguchi of Japan, who defeated Korea’s Kim Gaeun 21-17, 21-18 in another pre-quarterfinals.
The sixth seeded Indian has a 11-7 head-to-head count against the Japanese world no 5, whom she had last beaten at the All England Championship in March this year.
Sindhu mixed her strokes well, putting her attacking clears and drops to good use besides smashing her way to finish points whenever there was a chance.
She anticipated the shuttle better and showed good court coverage.
Blichfeldt did have her moments but she was too erratic to sustain the pressure on the Indian, who was always a step ahead of her rival during the contest.
On Wednesday, Sindhu had defeated world No. 34 Hong Kong’s NY Cheung 21-9 21-16 to top Group J.
Sindhu is the lone Indian badminton hope left in fray after B Sai Praneeth’s maiden Olympic campaign ended in agony in the men’s competition.
He went down in straight games to Mark Caljouw of Netherlands for his second defeat in Group D. (PTI)
