PV Sindhu Stuns World No. 6 at China Open 2025 in Thrilling Comeback

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu marked a major return to form with a hard-fought win over Japan’s World No. 6 Tomoka Miyazaki in the opening round of the China Open 2025. The BWF Super 1000 tournament, held at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Changzhou, saw Sindhu (ranked 15th) edge out her opponent 21-15, 8-21, 21-17 in a gripping three-game battle.

Sindhu started strong, claiming the first game with her trademark aggressive play. However, she faltered in the second game, struggling with court conditions and allowing Miyazaki to dominate. Refusing to back down, Sindhu regained her composure in the deciding game, taking an early lead and maintaining it with smart rallies and relentless pressure.

“This win means a lot. It’s important for my confidence,” Sindhu said. “Even in the third game, I knew I had to start strong because one side of the court was tough to play on.”

In the Men’s Doubles category, the Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty delivered a commanding performance. Ranked 12th globally, they swept past Japan’s Kenya Mitsuhashi and Hiroki Okamura 21-13, 21-9, advancing smoothly into the Round-of-16.

On the other hand, the Panda sisters, Rutaparna and Swetaparna, exited early in Women’s Doubles after a tough loss to a seasoned Hong Kong duo.

For Sindhu, this victory is especially significant after a string of narrow losses. She acknowledged the mental challenge of recent months and emphasized her focus on sustaining momentum. “I’ve been close many times but haven’t converted. Wins like this boost morale,” she said.

Sindhu now heads into the next round with renewed confidence, determined to build on this momentum as she eyes a return to the top tier of world badminton.