Arctic Open 2023: Indian Challenge Ends As PV Sindhu Crashes Out In Semifinals

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Vantaa (Finland), October 14: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu on Saturday (October 14) lost to China's Wang Zhi Yi in the women's singles semifinal, ending India's challenge in the Arctic Open 2023 at the Energia Areena in Vantaa, Finland.

The eighth seeded Indian shuttler suffered a defeat in three games to the fifth seed Chinese shuttler by a scoreline of 12-21, 21-11, 7-21 in an hour and 3 minutes on court 1.

Sindhu, who came into the tournament on the back of a disappointing Asian Games 2023, fought back from a game down to force the decider against Wang. The Chinese shuttler, who had lost in her two previous attempts against the Indian, ran away with the third game and the match.

The 28-year-old Sindhu has played 14 BWF World Tour tournaments this year, reaching the final once, semifinals and quarterfinals twice each. In nine other tournaments, she has made first or second-round exits. She last won the Singapore Open last year before the Commonwealth Games gold.

On Friday (October 13), Sindhu, who was the only Indian to reach the semifinal in the Arctic Open 2023, fought back from a game down to beat Vietnam's Thuy Lingh Nguyen in the women's singles quarterfinal by a scoreline of 20-22, 22-20, 21-18.

Earlier on Thursday (October 13), the tournament ended for men's singles shuttlers Kidambi Srikanth and Kiran George, Akarshi Kashyap in women's singles, and Ashwini Ponnappa & Tanisha Crasto in women's doubles.

While Srikanth lost 15-21 12-21 against seventh seed Kanta Tsuneyama of Japan, George was shown the door by fourth seed Lu Guang Zu of China 10-21 20-22.

Kashyap bowed out in following straight games 8-21, 12-21 to fifth seeded Chinese shuttler Wang Zhi Yi later in the day, while Ponnappa-Crasto pair went down fighting against the French duo of Margot Lambert and Anne Tran by a scoreline of 19-21, 19-21.

Top Indian shuttlers will next be in action in Denmark Open 2023 as the European Leg of the BWF World Tour is set to continue next week, starting with the opening round on Tuesday (October 17).