India’s hopes for a medal in women’s singles badminton at the 19th Asian Games were dashed as two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu was defeated by her long-time rival, He Bing Jiao of China, in the quarterfinals at the Badminton Stadium in Binjiang Gymnasium, Hangzhou.
Sindhu had previously defeated Bingjiao to claim a bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics. Despite their history of intense battles in the BWF circuit, Bingjiao maintained an 11-7 lead in their head-to-head record.
In front of an enthusiastic home crowd, Bingjiao outplayed the former World Champion Sindhu in straight sets, winning 21-16, 21-12 in a match that lasted 47 minutes.
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While Sindhu, who had previously won a bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics and participated in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, put up a good fight in the first game, she struggled to match the pace set by the Chinese player.
In the first game, the two players were evenly matched until Bingjiao took a 5-2 lead. Although Sindhu managed to win the next two points, Bingjiao’s well-executed shots allowed her to extend the lead to 9-5. Sindhu fought back to win the next three points, but Bingjiao once again pulled ahead, eventually winning the game 21-16.
In the second game, Sindhu attempted to change the tempo of the match, but Bingjiao maintained her dominance. Bingjiao quickly took a 5-1 lead, and although Sindhu defended against her aggressive tactics, she couldn’t sustain it, leading to a 12-21 loss and a missed opportunity to reach the semifinals and secure a medal.
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Unlike the Olympics, both losing semifinalists at the Asian Games receive a medal. In the previous 2018 edition, India had secured two medals in women’s singles with Sindhu and Saina Nehwal winning bronze medals.
In Hangzhou, India has achieved only one medal in badminton so far, a silver in the Men’s Team competition.
