Sindhu eases into second round, Jolly-Gayatri advance in BWF World Championships

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu began her bid for a historic sixth BWF World Championships medal on a rousing note, outclassing Ireland’s Sophia Noble in straight games to cruise into the women’s singles second round here on Monday. Seeded ninth, the five-time World Championships medallist Sindhu made light work of Noble, winning 21-7, 21-11. The Indian has two bronze medals, two silver medals and a gold, which she had won in 2019, to her name.

A semifinal appearance at the ongoing marquee event would assure her of at least a bronze and make her the first player in World Championships history to win six medals.

Only two other players have won five World Championships medals — China’s Lin Dan, who has five men’s singles gold, and compatriot Zhao Yunlei, who won three mixed doubles and two women’s doubles titles. Sindhu toyed with her less-fancied opponent from the outset, wrapping up the contest with ease in 29 minutes.

She dominated from start to finish, making her opponent struggle to cover the court with her experience and patient game plan, drawing unforced errors from Noble to race 11-2 lead at the break in the first game before pocketing it comfortably. Sindhu, however, faced resistance in the second game as Noble upped her game to stay neck-and-neck with the Indian before Sindhu used her experience to go into the break with a 11-8 lead.

After the break, Sindhu didn’t give her opponent any breathing space, dominating the rallies with clever drop shots and smashes to close out the match with a delicate backhand drop from the net.

Sindhu will next face Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang, who beat Bulgaria’s Stefani Stoeva 21-7, 21-19 to advance.

Commonwealth Games bronze medalists Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand too had an easy first-round outing, beating Spanish pair of Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez 21-9, 21-13 in the women’s doubles. The Indian duo 16th seeds Laurem Lam and Allison Quynh Lee of the United States.

In the first Indian match of the event, Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun progressed to the second round after their opponents, Scott Guildea and Paul Reynolds, retired in the game trailing 21-16, 6-4 in men’s doubles.