PV Sindhu Exits BWF World Championships 2026 After Tough Match Against Wang Zhi Yi

Sindhu's Journey at the Championships Comes to an End

In a challenging match, India's renowned badminton player PV Sindhu was eliminated from the BWF World Championships 2026 after a close contest against China's Wang Zhi Yi in the women's singles pre-quarterfinals on Thursday. This defeat marked the conclusion of the host nation's singles campaign in the tournament.

A Tough 88-Minute Battle

The five-time World Championships medallist faced a tough challenge, losing 11-21, 21-15, 17-21 in an intense 88-minute match held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Despite strong support from the home crowd, Sindhu's hopes for a historic sixth medal were dashed, ending her unbeaten record against Chinese players at this event. Prior to this match, she had triumphed in all eight encounters against Chinese competitors in World Championships history. Wang, despite experiencing cramps during the final game, managed to maintain her composure and secure her place in the quarterfinals.

Sindhu began the match with determination, but Wang quickly took control of the first game, capitalizing on Sindhu's errors to win 21-11. The Indian shuttler responded effectively in the second game, rallying with the crowd's encouragement to level the match with a 21-15 victory.

The deciding game was a thrilling contest, with both players fiercely competing. Wang initially led 15-13, but the crowd's chants of "Sindhu, Sindhu" inspired the Indian player. A powerful smash from Sindhu and a subsequent error from Wang brought the score to 15-15.

As the rallies intensified, both players pushed their limits. Wang struggled with cramps but returned to the court to continue. She eventually took a narrow lead at 18-17, and after a long rally, Sindhu's error allowed Wang to extend her advantage to 19-17. Despite a brief stoppage for Wang's treatment, she maintained her focus. Sindhu's final shot into the net gave Wang match point, which she converted with a drop shot, leading to her celebration on the court as Sindhu's quest for a sixth medal ended.

Conclusion of India's Singles Campaign

Earlier in the day, India's Ayush Shetty also faced elimination in the men's singles Round of 16, losing 19-21, 11-21 to Indonesia's Alwi Farhan. Ayush had previously stunned World No. 1 Shi Yuqi but could not maintain his momentum. Lakshya Sen and Unnati Hooda were also eliminated in the second round, concluding India's singles challenge at the home World Championships.

Doubles Teams Keep Medal Aspirations Alive

On a brighter note, the women's doubles team of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the quarterfinals with a convincing 21-16, 21-12 victory over Japan's seventh seeds Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi. The world No. 39 pair, returning from Treesa's injury, is now just one win away from a World Championships medal.

However, the mixed doubles team of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto was eliminated earlier on Thursday, losing 16-21, 5-21 to China's Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui in the Round of 16. With Sindhu's exit, India's singles campaign has officially concluded, and the nation's hopes for a medal now rest on its doubles teams, including Treesa-Gayatri and the men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who were set to compete against Malaysia's Yap Roy King and Junaidi Arif later in the day.