Daijiworld Media Network - Copenhagen

Copenhagen, Aug 27: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu staged a spirited fightback to book her place in the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals of the BWF World Championships on Wednesday. The Indian ace rallied from 12-18 down in the opening game before outclassing Malaysia’s world No. 40 Letshanaa Karupathevan 21-19, 21-15 in a 42-minute contest. She now faces second seed Wang Zhi Yi of China.

Sindhu, who had looked rusty in her opening-round win over Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova, again started slow against Letshanaa, trailing for most of the first game. But the former world champion clawed her way back with six straight points at a crucial stage before sealing the opener. Riding on momentum, Sindhu dominated the second game with powerful smashes and clever net play to wrap up the match.

In men’s doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty showcased their attacking flair to defeat Chinese Taipei’s Yang Po Han and Liu Kuang Heng 22-20, 21-13. Despite some early errors, the Indian pair held firm during pressure moments, before pulling away with clinical smashes and sharp returns to secure a straight-games win.

Earlier, Indian mixed doubles duo Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also advanced with a commanding 21-11, 21-16 victory over Ireland’s Joshua Magee and Moya Ryan. The pair will next face Hong Kong’s fifth seeds Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet for a place in the quarterfinals.