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Indian badminton star PV Sindhu continued her impressive campaign at the Badminton World Championships 2026, producing a dominant performance to book her place in the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals. The ninth-seeded Indian defeated Canada’s Zhang Wen Yu 21-16, 21-17 in straight games at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
Sindhu needed just 34 minutes to complete the victory and move into the last 16. The experienced Indian shuttler remained composed during the crucial stages and never allowed her opponent to take control of the contest.
PV Sindhu Crushes Zhang Wen Yu in 34 Minutes, Reaches World Championship Pre-Quarterfinals
Sindhu made a confident start to the match, immediately putting Zhang under pressure with her attacking game. The Indian star won four consecutive points early on before the Canadian shuttler responded and reduced the deficit.
Sindhu, however, continued to dictate the pace and went into the interval with an 11-9 lead. Zhang tried to stay within touching distance after the break, but Sindhu stepped up when the game entered its decisive phase.
Leading 19-15, Sindhu kept her focus and closed out the opening game 21-16 in 16 minutes.
Zhang Takes Lead in Second Game, But Sindhu Stages Stunning Comeback
The second game was considerably tighter, with Zhang refusing to allow Sindhu to build an early advantage. Both players exchanged points and the score reached 9-9.
Zhang then produced a strong spell to move ahead and entered the interval with an 11-9 lead. Sindhu was suddenly under pressure, but the two-time Olympic medallist responded in style.
The Indian shuttler won five consecutive points after the interval to turn the momentum completely in her favour. She maintained her advantage through the closing stages despite Zhang's attempts to fight back.
Sindhu eventually sealed the second game 21-17, completing a straight-games victory in just 34 minutes.
PV Sindhu vs Wang Zhi Yi Next: Tough Pre-Quarterfinal Clash Awaits
Sindhu's next challenge will be China's third-seeded Wang Zhi Yi in the women's singles pre-quarterfinals. The winner of this contest will advance to the quarterfinals of the World Championships.
Wang also secured a convincing victory in her previous match, defeating Malaysia's Karupathevan Letshana 21-16, 21-9.
The upcoming clash is expected to be a much tougher test for Sindhu. However, her clinical performance against Zhang will provide a significant confidence boost as she looks to continue her run in the tournament.
Wang Zhi Yi Enters Next Round After Comfortable Win Over Letshana
Wang Zhi Yi showed her quality in the previous round with a comfortable straight-games victory over Letshana. She controlled the match from the beginning and finished with a 21-16, 21-9 scoreline.
With both Sindhu and Wang arriving in the pre-quarterfinals after straight-games victories, their upcoming battle promises to be one of the key women's singles matches of the next round.
Ayush Shetty Joins Sindhu in Pre-Quarterfinals After Dominant Victory
India also enjoyed success in the men's singles event, with Ayush Shetty securing a commanding win over Sri Lanka's Dumindu Abeywickrama.
Shetty dominated the contest and registered a 21-8, 21-10 victory to advance to the pre-quarterfinals. His performance adds to India's strong showing at the BWF World Championships 2026.
With PV Sindhu and Ayush Shetty progressing, Indian fans will now be hoping for more strong performances as the tournament moves into its crucial knockout stages.
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