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Top-ranked Indian female shuttler P. V. Sindhu bowed out of the All England Open Badminton Championships 2019 after her loss in the first round. She went down 16-21, 22-20, 18-21 to South Korea's Sung Ji Hyun in one hour and 21 minutes.
Sindhu was one of the tournament favorites in the women's singles event at the tournament in Birmingham. She had reached the semi-finals of the tournament last year. Her loss has left Saina Nehwal as the only Indian in the category.
The 23-year-old Indian looked too impatient from the start of the game, giving Sung Ji Hyun easy points. Having started with a good 6-3 lead in the first set, Sindhu could not hold on to it and was 8-11 behind going into the break.
Sung Ji took control of the set and with straight drop and attacking shots, paired with good defence, she comfortably went on to win the first set 21-16.
In the second set, the South Korean, filled with confidence from the first set win, dominated Sindhu with her good all-court play. Sung Ji went into the break with a 11-8 lead, leaving Sindhu frustrated with the slow playing conditions. However, Sindhu made a comeback in the game and went on to win the set 22-20 after trailing 16-20.
Sindhu started with resilience at the beginning of the third set and went on to save five match points. But she again let her nerves get to her, and went on to lose the set 18-21, thus ending her campaign at the world's oldest badminton tournament.
In another match between the two Indian shuttlers, HS Prannoy and Sai Praneeth, the latter went on to win the close encounter 21-19, 21-19 in 52 minutes.
Sameer Verma, Kidambi Srikanth and Saina Nehwal are the other premier Indian badminton players who are set to play their singles matches later during the day.
