Paris Olympics: PV Sindhu advances to R16 after beating Estonia’s Kristin Kuuba

Sindhu dominated over Kuuba and won the match 21-5, 21-10 in a 34-minute contest at the La Chapelle Arena

Paris [France], July 31 (ANI): India shuttler PV Sindhu marched into the Round of 16 of badminton women’s singles event after beating Kristin Kuuba of Estonia in the final Group M match at the ongoing Paris Olympics on Wednesday.

Sindhu dominated over Kuuba and won the match 21-5, 21-10 in a 34-minute contest at the La Chapelle Arena.

In the first game, Sindhu controlled the momentum and clinched a 21-5 win in just 14 minutes. Meanwhile, The Indian shuttler continued her form and won the second game 21-10 in 19 minutes.

PV Sindhu could potentially face the People’s Republic of China’s He Bingjiao in her upcoming Round of 16 match. Earlier in the Tokyo Olympics, Sindhu beat He Bingjiao to secure her bronze.

Earlier in Sindhu’s previous Group M match, the Indian shuttler began her quest for her third Olympic medal with a straightforward win against the Maldives’ Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq in the women’s singles event.

Sindhu displayed grit and confidence and restricted her opponent to single digits in both games. She began her campaign with a 21-9, 21-6 win in a game that lasted for 29 minutes.

In the hunt for her third Olympic medal, Sindhu didn’t waste any time in establishing her dominance. She used every inch of the badminton court to her advantage and lured her opponent into playing a loose shot.

This was the second time Sindhu and Razzaq had faced each other. The Indian shuttler breezed past the Maldives shuttler in their first encounter, and once again, history repeated itself in Paris.

The first game began with both shuttlers going neck-to-neck against each other. Sindhu took a point lead, and Razzaq fought back to level the scoreline.

The trend lasted till the scoreboard read 4-4. Sindhu upped her game and went on a spree, which saw her claim ten points in a row.

Razzaq eventually managed to break Sindhu’s 10-point spree, but the first game was almost out of her hands.

An angled flick from Sindhu, showcasing her class, made the scoreline 19-6 in her favour. Razzaq fought back, fighting hard for a late comeback by winning three consecutive points. An exquisite drop shot made the scoreline 19-9.

Sindhu eventually sealed the first game in 13 minutes with a scoreline of 21-9.

The second game was a similar story for the Maldives shuttler. She failed to overcome Sindhu’s technical prowess.

Within a blink of an eye, the Indian shuttler clinched three consecutive points before her shot was stopped by the net. This opened a window of opportunity for Razzaq to make a comeback and she exploited it to its best. She won three consecutive points, making the scoreline 4-3, leaving her just a point behind Sindhu.

However, the short-lived rallies didn’t do any favour for Razzaq as she eventually started to trail just like in the first set. Razzaq’s defence didn’t do her any favour, allowing Sindhu to seal the match following a 21-6 win in the second game. (ANI)

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