P V Sindhu Advances to Final at Hylo Open with Dominant Victory

Sindhu's Impressive Performance in Semifinals

Double Olympic medalist P V Sindhu has made her way into her second final in consecutive weeks, achieving a straight-game victory over fellow Indian Anmol Kharb in the women's semifinals of the Hylo Open Super 500 badminton tournament on Saturday.

Sindhu, who was the runner-up at the French Open the previous week, showcased her skill with a decisive 21-13, 21-16 win against world No. 53 Anmol in a match that lasted just 32 minutes.

At only 19 years old, Anmol was competing in her second Super 500 semifinal, having previously reached the last four at the Arctic Open last year.

The two players had met once before at the Syed Modi India International in 2024, where Sindhu also secured a straight-game victory over her younger opponent.

On Saturday, Sindhu's aggressive style, sharp net play, and diverse range of strokes kept Anmol, a member of the gold medal-winning Indian team at the 2024 Asia Team Championships, from applying any significant pressure.

In the opening game, Sindhu initially struggled with deep tosses, allowing Anmol to take a brief 4-2 lead. Although Anmol executed a beautiful cross-court drop, she was unable to maintain consistent pressure on the more experienced Sindhu.

Sindhu quickly regained her footing, leveraging her attacking prowess and precise net play to take control of the match. The 31-year-old's extensive experience and varied shot selection allowed her to dominate the first game with ease.

Sindhu surged ahead to 10-7, but Anmol responded with a cross-court return and a net shot, only to falter with a wide shot. At the first break, Sindhu led 11-9.

She swiftly extended her lead to 15-10, earning seven game points, and clinched the first game after Anmol sent her return long.

After switching sides, Anmol again took an early 4-2 lead, but Sindhu quickly regained control with two impressive shots.

Anmol's skillful net dribble brought the score to 8-8, and she briefly led 9-8 when Sindhu found the net. However, Anmol struggled to maintain her momentum, and a net error allowed Sindhu to take a narrow lead at the break.

At 13-13, Sindhu misjudged a smash, allowing Anmol to take a 15-13 lead with another precise smash. Yet, similar to the first game, the scores leveled at 15-15 due to two errors from Anmol.

Sindhu then executed a clever drop shot to take a 17-15 lead. Following two more mistakes from Anmol, Sindhu earned four match points and sealed her victory with a precise return to the back court.

Later in the day, Lakshya Sen is set to compete against France’s Toma Junior Popov.