PV Sindhu faced a tough challenge from fellow Indian Ira Sharma, who is ranked 147, but managed to secure a 21-10, 12-21, 21-15 victory in the second round of the Syed Modi India International 2024 in Lucknow on Thursday. The two-time Olympic medallist was trailing 10-13 in the deciding game but made a strong comeback to wrap up the match in 49 minutes. Not to forget that PV Sindhu is the top-ranked Indian in women’s singles in the world, positioned at 18th in the list.
Later in the day, Lakshya Sen is set to take on Israel’s Daniil Dubovenko. Meanwhile, the mixed doubles duo of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila cruised to an easy 21-7, 21-13 win over Mohit and Lakshita Jaglan earlier in the day.
Sindhu faces tough match
PV Sindhu started well, winning the first game 21-10 without much trouble. But then, Ira made a strong comeback in the second game, winning it 21-12 and forcing a decider. In the final game, both players were neck and neck, where the two-time Olympic medalist was trailing by 10-13, but Sindhu used her experience to win by taking five points in a row at the end. Ira played really well, especially in the second game, but in the end, it was Sindhu’s experience that helped her win the match.
Tanisha-Dhruv dominate in mixed doubles
The mixed doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila secured an easy win over Mohit and Lakshita Jaglan, finishing the match with a commanding score of 21-7, 21-13. Later on the day, Tanisha Crasto will team up with Ashwini Ponappa for the women’s doubles second-round match.
Ayush Shetty secures quarterfinal spot
India’s young shuttler Ayush Shetty delivered a solid performance to advance to the quarterfinals with a dominant 21-12, 21-19 win over Justin Hoh of the USA. After winning the first game, the 19-year-old continued his momentum in the second, coming back strong to seal the match. The youngster’s impressive form continues as he sets his sights on the next round. Recently in 2024, he won the silver medal in the Dutch Open.
