Sindhu Outclassed by World No. 1 An Se Young in Singapore Open Quarterfinal

India’s PV Sindhu once again found no answer to the relentless consistency of her long standing rival as she went down to world No. 1 An Se Young in the quarterfinals of the Singapore Open Super 750 on Friday, ending her campaign in straight games.

Sindhu showed intent and aggression from the start, trying to take control of the rallies with sharp smashes and early interceptions. For moments, she succeeded in unsettling the Korean star and even narrowed gaps during crucial phases of the contest. But An’s superior court coverage , calm control, and ability to deliver under pressure once again made the difference.

The opening game saw Sindhu trailing 7-11 at the interval before she mounted a spirited fightback to close in at 13-14 . She kept pushing with attacking returns and even forced errors from her opponent, but An’s precision at the net and defensive stability helped her regain control. Despite Sindhu reducing the deficit to 17-19 after a long rally, a couple of untimely errors handed the first game to the Korean at 21-17 .

The second game followed a similar pattern, with An racing to a 6-0 lead before Sindhu gradually recovered her rhythm to make it competitive again. A strong smash and improved net play brought her back into contention, and she even closed in after a demanding 30-shot rally . However, inconsistencies at key moments once again halted her momentum.

As the match progressed, An’s dominance became more visible. She repeatedly moved Sindhu across the court with sharp placements and controlled the tempo with ease, stretching her lead and eventually sealing the contest 21-14 in 48 minutes.

This defeat extended Sindhu’s winless run against An Se Young to nine matches , underlining the Korean’s commanding record in their rivalry and her continued dominance on the world circuit.

Sindhu, despite moments of resistance and flashes of her attacking brilliance, will be left searching for answers as the gap against the world No. 1 remains firmly intact.