PV Sindhu’s search for a breakthrough against world No. 1 An Se Young remains unfulfilled. The Indian shuttler suffered her eighth straight defeat to the Korean star, bowing out in the quarterfinals of the China Masters Super 750 on Friday. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, went down 14-21, 13-21 in just 38 minutes.
The result underlines the one-sided nature of this rivalry. Sindhu has now managed to win only one game across their head-to-head meetings, losing 16 in the process, while An continues to dominate with her relentless pace and tactical variety.
How the Match Unfolded
Sindhu made a tentative start, quickly falling behind 1-6 before using a delicate cross-court drop to reduce the deficit. But An’s precision and trademark smashes pushed her into an 11-5 lead at the mid-game break. Sindhu attempted a late push to close the gap at 11-14, yet errors at crucial moments allowed An to wrap up the opener comfortably.
The second game offered brief hope as Sindhu went ahead 3-2, playing with more aggression. However, An’s deceptive strokes and sharp anticipation turned the momentum, giving her an 11-7 advantage at the interval. From there, the Korean pulled clear, surging to 14-7 and never relinquishing control.
An’s Ruthless Finish
Despite Sindhu’s attempts to counter with smart drops and aggressive smashes, An remained a step ahead throughout. The reigning Olympic champion converted her eighth match point with a powerful cross-court smash, sealing yet another straight-games win over the Indian.
What This Means for Sindhu
The defeat extends Sindhu’s winless run against her biggest rival, underlining the gap she needs to close if she hopes to reestablish herself at the top tier of women’s singles badminton. With the 2025 season still in its early stages, finding answers against players like An Se Young will be crucial to Sindhu’s quest for consistency on the world circuit.