PV Sindhu has begun her campaign at the BWF World Championships 2025 in Madrid with a hard-fought but ultimately convincing win over Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova.
The Indian star, who has a decorated history at the event, needed 39 minutes to secure a 23-21, 21-6 victory and move into the round of 32. This year’s format is different: for the first time, all players, including seeds, were required to start from the round of 64. In the past, top-ranked players usually received a first-round bye. Sindhu, who suffered an early exit in her previous World Championships campaign, was determined to set the tone this time.
The contest didn’t begin smoothly for Sindhu. She trailed 7-11 at the mid-game interval, struggling to find her rhythm against Nalbantova, a two-time European junior champion known for her sharp stroke play. Even later in the game, Sindhu found herself down 17-19 and had to save two game points at 19-20 and 20-21. It was only in the closing stages that her experience and composure showed. With tighter length and better control on her clears, Sindhu managed to turn the tide and clinch the opener 23-21. It was a roller-coaster game that had her fans on the edge of their seats.
A Clinical Response in the second game
If the first game was chaotic, the second was clinical. Having figured out her opponent’s weaknesses, Sindhu began dictating rallies with crosscourt attacks and steep smashes, forcing Nalbantova into repeated errors. From 5-2 up, she raced through the game without ever looking threatened, wrapping it up 21-6 in dominant fashion. This contrast between the two games highlighted both Sindhu’s adaptability and her ability to regroup under pressure qualities that have defined her career on the biggest stages.
With the win, Sindhu progresses to the round of 32, where the competition will get tougher. As one of India’s biggest medal hopes, she will need to cut down on slow starts, especially against higher-ranked opponents who are unlikely to give her the same second chances. For Nalbantova, the match was a learning curve. At just 20, she showed flashes of her potential, particularly in the opening game where she pushed a two-time World Championships medalist to the brink.
The two-time Olympic medalist has a proud history at the World Championships. She remains the only Indian to win a gold medal at the event, clinching the title in 2019. However, her previous campaign in Copenhagen ended in disappointment when she lost her very first match to Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in the round of 32. This win, therefore, comes as an important confidence boost as she looks to re-establish her presence at the world stage.
For long-time Sindhu fans, the match followed a familiar script tense opening games that leave everyone’s heart racing, followed by a storm of dominance once she locks into rhythm. “Sindhu’s matches aren’t for the weak-hearted,” one fan quipped, echoing the anxiety many felt during that first game.
But in the end, all was well. Sindhu steadied herself, flexed her experience, and powered into the next round. As the tournament progresses, the stakes will only rise. For now, though, PV Sindhu is up and running at the BWF World Championships 2025, and Indian fans will breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their star has found her footing.
