P.V. Sindhu won her opening round match at the Spanish Masters against Switzerland’s Jenjira Stadelmann 21-10, 21-14 on Wednesday to advance to the Round of 16.
The Indian had the better start to the first game as she raced away to four-to-nothing lead. The Swiss, however, found her footing and levelled the game at five apiece, courtesy of strong cross-court play.
Relying on long rallies, Sindhu secured the next six points and went into the mid-point break with an 11-5 advantage. The two-time Olympic medallist capitalised on the momentum and allowed just five more points to Stadelmann before clinching the game 21-10.
In the second game, Stadelmann did not let Sindhu break free. It was at nine points each that Sindhu finally pulled away with a deft cross-court drop shot and an overhead that Stadelmann erred in letting go and eventually finding the shuttle landing in limits.
Stadelmann, however, persisted and restored parity at 11-11. She further consolidated and pulled ahead 13-11 via two shots that sent Sindhu the wrong side of the court.
Nifty close range play coupled with unforced errors by the Swiss allowed Sindhu to mount a comeback. A botched up smash from right in front of the net was the final nail in the coffin for Stadelmann as Sindhu pulled away into an 18-13 lead before taking the game 21-14.
This was Sindhu’s first outing on a court since she slipped out of the top 10 of the BWF rankings. In the five tournaments Sindhu has played in 2023 including the Spanish Masters, she has advanced to the round of 16 just twice.
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