Overview
- Sindhu ended a long title drought by winning the Japan Open, defeating top players to regain tournament-winning form.
- She carried that momentum into the China Open with a hard-fought opening win over compatriot Unnati Hooda to reach the second round.
- Her comeback followed a rehab plan described by her husband that relied on sports science monitoring, training at Atlanta’s Exos facility, coaching changes and a reported 3.5 kg weight reduction.
- India’s China Open campaign has been mixed: Ayush Shetty produced a major upset of world No. 11 Alwi Farhan while several Indian doubles pairs lost early and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty withdrew so Satwik can continue shoulder recovery.
- Sindhu is now set for a high-profile second-round match with former Olympic champion Chen Yufei and her form and fitness trajectory will be watched closely for implications at next month’s World Championships.