Does PV Sindhu’s Form After Japan Open Spell Trouble For India’s Olympic Hopes?

Former world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist shuttler PV Sindhu’s poor form continued as she bowed out of the ongoing Japan Open in the first round itself following a loss to South Korea’s Sim Yu Jin on Wednesday.

Another Early Exit for the Indian Star

As per Olympics.com, Sindhu was playing her first match since June’s Indonesia Open, and the 16th-ranked shuttler went down to the world number 14 in two straight games by 21-15, 21-14. This was her first loss to Sim in their four matches.

Sindhu’s start was sluggish, and she was trailing by 9-3 in the opening game, but the Indian fought back to make it 13-12, only for her opponent to make a comeback and take a winning lead.

Second Game Mirrors First with Similar Struggles

The second game followed the same pattern as Sim raced to a 6-1 lead and Sindhu fought her way back to a 7-7 levelling, and later 11-11, but could not win the game.

This marks another quick exit for Sindhu, who has had a poor 2025 so far, with her best finish being a quarterfinal run at the Indian Open back in January. Since then, she has faced four first-round exits and two pre-quarterfinal finishes.

Men’s Singles and Doubles Bring Some Relief

Earlier, India’s top men’s singles and doubles contenders advanced to the Round of 16 at the Japan Open 2025, with Lakshya Sen and the duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty notching straight-game victories in their opening matches on Wednesday.

Sen produced a composed performance to defeat China’s Wang Zheng Xing 21-11, 21-18, setting up a second-round clash with Japanese star and home favourite Kodai Naraoka, as per a press release from BAI Media.

In men’s doubles, Satwik and Chirag made a strong start to their campaign, easing past South Korea’s Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju 21-18, 21-10 to move into the last 16.

Sindhu’s Olympic Hopes Now Hang in Balance

With the Paris Olympics drawing closer, Sindhu’s continued inconsistency raises concerns about her preparation and readiness. Fans and former players have started questioning if she can find her rhythm in time for the big stage.

Her next scheduled appearance is likely at the upcoming Singapore Open. A solid run there will be crucial—not just for her rankings, but to rebuild her confidence ahead of Olympic qualification cut-offs.

(With Inputs From ANI)

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