It was a match that had everything: grit, comebacks, momentum shifts, and moments of brilliance from both ends of the court as PV Sindhu Lost.
It was heartbreak yet again for PV Sindhu, who went down fighting against Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong in a draining 77-minute Round of 16 clash at the Indonesia Open Super 1000.
The final score read 22-20, 10-21, 18-21 in favour of the Thai, but the numbers tell only part of the story.
PV Sindhu, unseeded but showing glimpses of her best form over the past fortnight, came into this match after a near-upset against Chinese top seed Chen Yufei in Singapore. Today, she had another top-10 opponent on the ropes — leading 11-7 and then 15-11 in the deciding game — before the match slipped through her fingers. Chochuwong, the sixth seed, lay flat on the court at the end, drained yet victorious, a visual representation of just how hard Sindhu made her work.
Sindhu began well, showing intent from the start with sharp smashes and effective net play. Though she trailed 10-16 in the opening game, she clawed her way back, saving a game point and then taking the game 22-20 with a crosscourt winner that had the Thai scrambling.
It was a sign that Sindhu still had the fire. Her footwork looked sharper than it had in months, and the aggression was visible — but so was the effort. Every point came at a cost, and the intensity began to weigh as the match wore on.
Momentum Shifts
The second game was a blowout in favour of Chochuwong, who raced ahead 11-3 at the interval and maintained her rhythm. Sindhu’s returns started to falter, her movement became more lateral, and the errors crept in. The 10-21 scoreline didn’t just reflect Chochuwong’s dominance, but also Sindhu’s physical dip — perhaps a result of the energy spent in the opening game.
The Deciding Set
And then came the third game — a nail-biter. Sindhu looked in control for much of it. She surged to an 11-7 lead at the break and extended it to 15-11. Her attacking shots were landing, and her drops were drawing errors. But then came the now-familiar phase — the collapse under pressure.
Chochuwong tightened up, Sindhu’s shots started lacking depth, and her smash that worked earlier now found the net. The Thai scored seven of the next eight points to go up 18-16. Sindhu fought back to 18-19, but at 18-20, a long rally ended with a tired attempted smash into the net — symbolic of how close yet how far she was.
This wasn’t the first time. Over the past year, Sindhu has had multiple three-game matches where she’s held leads deep into deciders — only to fade at the finish. Whether it was against Carolina Marin, Chen Yufei, or now Chochuwong, the pattern has been concerning.
It’s not a question of effort. Sindhu is giving her all. Her fitness, movement, and aggression are better than earlier in the season. But at crunch moments — particularly in the third games — the consistency and composure that defined her in the Rio and Tokyo Olympic cycles seems to desert her.
A Season of Near-Misses
In Singapore last week, she led 17-14 in the third against Chen Yufei before losing 19-21. In Jakarta, she led 15-11 in the third against Chochuwong before losing 18-21. The margins are wafer-thin, and yet the defeats continue to pile up.
There are positives. Her results against higher-ranked players are improving. Her physical condition is visibly better. She’s pushing top-10 players to the limit. But winning remains elusive.
Time to Regroup
Sindhu now has a four-week break before the Japan Open. It’s a good window to reset, regroup, and perhaps reflect on what’s not clicking in final sets. Her Olympic qualification campaign isn’t over, but time is starting to become a factor.
Other Indian Results
It wasn’t a good day overall for Indian shuttlers in Jakarta.
In mixed doubles, Sathish Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath were outplayed 7-21, 12-21 by Thailand’s Puavaranukroh and Paewsampan. Sathish, who has also been trying to break through in men’s singles, faced criticism for spreading his focus too thin.
In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela exited in straight games against Japan’s Fukushima and Matsumoto, 13-21, 22-24. The second game saw a fightback, but the Japanese pair held steady in the key moments.
For Sindhu, this match will sting — because it was there for the taking. She showed flashes of her best, battled for every point, and almost pulled off a big win. But in elite badminton, “almost” doesn’t count for much.
She needs wins. She needs momentum. And above all, she needs to close matches. The rest of the pieces are slowly coming together — but the final push remains elusive.
The road to LosAngeles 2028 (if she chooses to continue) is still open. But it won’t wait forever.
Now, it’s back to the grind.
