NEW DELHI: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu's campaign at the Indonesia Open ended in the pre-quarterfinals on Thursday as she suffered a straight-game defeat to world No. 1 An Se Young, marking her second consecutive loss to the South Korean in as many weeks.
Sindhu, who had also fallen to An in the quarterfinals of the Singapore Open last week, lost 17-21, 14-21 in the round of 16 match. The Indian shuttler entered the contest with renewed confidence after a solid opening-round victory over Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan, hoping to finally break her duck against the Korean.
However, An once again proved too consistent and composed in crucial moments, extending Sindhu's losing streak against the reigning Olympic champion to 10 matches. The Indian is yet to secure a win over An in their head-to-head meetings.
The opening game was tightly contested in the early stages, with both players level at 10-10 midway through. Sindhu showed glimpses of good form and managed to trouble the top seed on several occasions with her attacking play. She moved ahead 15-14, but An responded quickly, winning a string of points to take a 19-16 lead. The South Korean then claimed two straight points, including a grueling 41-shot rally, to seal the first game.
An continued her dominance in the second game, building a 13-6 advantage with her superior movement and consistency around the court. Sindhu fought back and reduced the gap at different stages, but An maintained control of the contest, eventually wrapping up the match in straight games to book her place in the quarterfinals.
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