Still got it: PV Sindhu stuns World No 2 to march into quarter-finals of BWF World Championship

India’s ace shuttler PV Sindhu, currently World No 15, stunned World No 2 Wang Zhi Yi on Thursday at the BWF World Championships 2025 held in Paris.

Sindhu beat Wang, one of the most consistent performers of the tournament, in the straight sets of 21-17, 21-15 in the Round of 16, to march into the quarter-finals of the tournament, for the first time since 2019.

Earlier, Sindhu showing her trademark resilience to down Malaysia’s Karupathevan Letshanaa 21-19, 21-15 in a women’s singles Round of 32 contest.

Against Letshanaa, Sindhu trailed 12-18 in the opener before staging a remarkable comeback with six straight points, eventually sealing it 21-19. The two-time Olympic medallist then shifted gears in the second game, dictating the pace and never allowing her younger opponent to settle, wrapping up the match in straight games.

Buoyed by her first-game fightback, she dominated proceedings from start to finish, leaving Letshanaa unable to match her pace, power, and tactical play. The Indian’s consistency and precision ensured she never trailed, ultimately sealing the match 21-15.

India also saw success in mixed doubles, where the 16th-seeded duo of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also marched into quarter-finals. Before this, Kapila and Crasto cruised past Ireland’s Joshua Magee and Moya Ryan 21-11, 21-16 to book their place in the last 16. They next meet Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong, China.

So far, India has enjoyed a good run in the tournament, with India’s top-ranked men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Wednesday, produced a commanding display to march into the Round of 16 at the BWF World Championships 2025. The ninth-seeded duo overcame Chinese Taipei’s Liu Kuang Heng and Yang Po Han 22-20, 21-13 in a 43-minute battle at the Adidas Arena in Paris. 

On Thursday night (IST), they will face a stern test against sixth seeds Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang of China in what promises to be a blockbuster clash.

(with inputs from syndicated feed)