Arctic Open 2023: PV Sindhu Fights Back From Game Down To Win Thriller To Book Semifinal Spot

Vantaa (Finland), October 14: India's PV Sindhu fought back from a game down to beat Vietnam's Thuy Lingh Nguyen in the women's singles quarterfinal of the Arctic Open 2023 at the Energia Areena in Vantaa, Finland on Friday (October 13).

The two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu defeated the world No. 26 shuttler from Vietnam in three-game thriller by a scoreline of 20-22, 22-20, and 21-18 in an hour and 31 minutes on court 1 to book her semifinal spot.

After dropping the close first game 20-22 despite a 11-4 lead at the interval, Sindhu was once again down 5-9 in the second game, but wrestled back the momentum to equalise at 18-all before sealing the game 22-20 to force the decider.

In the third and final game, Sindhu led 11-8 at the interval, but the Vietnamese shuttler saved three match points before the Indian sealed the game and the match following a 21-18 win.

Eighth-seed Sindhu, the only Indian left in the Arctic Open 2023, will next face an even more bigger test when she meets fifth seed Wang Zhi Yi from China in the last four clash on Saturday (October 14).

Sindhu, who had a disappointing outing at the bygone Asian Games 2023, has not won a tournamen even once since she made her return from injury earlier this year in January.

The 28-year-old 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.

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.