New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS) India’s ace shuttler and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu endured a shock early exit at the India Open 2026, suffering a three-game defeat to Vietnam’s T.L. Nguyen in the Round of 64 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.

Sindhu started the contest on a positive note and showed her experience in the opening game, saving crucial points and edging past Nguyen 22-20 in a closely fought opener. The Indian relied on her strong defence and net play to seal the first game despite stiff resistance from the Vietnamese shuttler.

However, Nguyen turned the tables in the second game with an aggressive approach. She dominated the rallies, targeted Sindhu’s backcourt effectively, and forced a series of unforced errors from the Indian to level the match with a commanding 21-12 win.

The decider saw Nguyen maintain her momentum as Sindhu struggled to regain control. The Vietnamese player kept the pressure on with sharp returns and consistent attacking play, gradually building a lead. Sindhu attempted a comeback, but Nguyen remained composed and closed out the match 21-15, sealing one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

The defeat marks an early end to Sindhu’s campaign at her home tournament, while Nguyen advanced to the Round of 32 with a confidence-boosting victory.

This first-round defeat marks a new low for the Indian star. This is Sindhu’s earliest exit from the India Open since 2023. In last year’s edition of the Super 750 tournament, she had reached the quarter-finals on home soil but failed to continue the momentum in the semi-finals.

Sindhu had a strong start to the 2026 season, reaching the semifinals of the Super 1000 Kuala Lumpur event in Malaysia. However, she lost to world number two Wang Zhiyi in a close encounter. Sindhu went down 16-21, 15-21 to the Chinese shuttler, missing an opportunity to avenge her loss to Wang, who had beaten her in last year’s Malaysia Open final.

–IANS

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