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MADRID — Star Indian shuttler PV Sindhu advanced to the second round of the Madrid Spain Masters with an emphatic straight-game victory over Canada's Wen Yu Zhang.
The double Olympics medallist, seeking to clinch yet another title, demonstrated her prowess on the court as she humbled her opponent with a score of 21-16, 21-12 in a lope-sided encounter.
From the onset, Sindhu asserted her dominance, swiftly surging to a 4-1 lead in the first game. Despite Zhang's brief resurgence to take a 7-5 lead, Sindhu remained undeterred, unleashing a barrage of winners to regain control. With steely determination, she closed out the first game at 21-16 after a brief moment of deadlock at 14-14.
The second game proved to be a smoother sail for Sindhu as Zhang struggled to mount a significant challenge. Racing to an 11-6 lead, Sindhu maintained her momentum, capitalizing on her opponent's faltering game to secure victory at 21-12. With her eyes set on the prize, Sindhu now prepares to face Chinese Taipei's Huang Yu-Hsun in the upcoming round.
While Sindhu's triumph brought joy to Indian fans, the tournament witnessed a mixed bag of results for the Indian contingent. Ashmita Chaliha faced a tough defeat against Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand, conceding the match in straight games with a score of 13-21, 11-21.
In the mixed doubles category, Aadya Variyath and Sathish Kumar Karunakaran suffered a similar fate, succumbing to Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas of Indonesia in straight games with a score of 18-21, 14-21.
However, amidst the challenges, there were moments of triumph as well. The mixed doubles pair of B Sumeeth Reddy and Sikki Reddy staged a remarkable comeback, rallying from behind to defeat Chen Zhi Ray and Yang Ching Tun of Chinese Taipei. In a thrilling encounter that stretched for 49 minutes, Sumeeth and Sikki emerged victorious with a hard-fought score of 16-21, 22-20, 21-14.
In the men's singles category, Mithu Manjunath faced a formidable opponent in Wang Tzu Wei of Chinese Taipei, ultimately falling short in straight games with a score of 12-21, 11-21.
But the Indian hopes remain high as Kidambi Srikanth and Kiran George gear up to showcase their skills in the upcoming matches, aiming to make their mark on the prestigious tournament.