Tokyo, July 16 (IANS) PV Sindhu delivered a statement performance at the Japan Open Super 750 on Thursday, defeating world No. 5 Han Yue of China in straight games to secure her place in the women’s singles quarterfinals.

The two-time Olympic medallist produced a composed and attacking display to seal a 21-16, 21-14 victory in just 35 minutes, extending her dominant head-to-head record over the Chinese shuttler to 8-1.

The result marked one of Sindhu’s most convincing outings of the season, with the former world champion overcoming an early challenge before taking complete control of the contest against the fifth seed.

The opening exchanges were closely contested as Han Yue looked to dictate the pace, but Sindhu gradually settled into the match. Once she found her range, the Indian began controlling the rallies with precise shot placement and greater aggression from the baseline. Her improved consistency helped her pull away in the latter stages of the first game, which she wrapped up 21-16.

Any hopes of a Chinese comeback were quickly extinguished after the change of ends. Sindhu stormed into the second game with relentless intensity, reeling off eight consecutive points to establish a commanding 8-0 advantage. Although Han Yue managed to reduce the deficit with a brief fightback, Sindhu remained unfazed, maintaining her accuracy and court coverage before closing out the match 21-14 to complete a comprehensive victory.

The win sends the world No. 10 into the quarterfinals, where she will take on Japan’s former world champion Nozomi Okuhara. Okuhara advanced after top seed and reigning world No. 1 An Se-young of South Korea withdrew from their second-round encounter.

Sindhu is now India’s only remaining contender in the tournament after the country’s mixed doubles campaign came to an end earlier in the day.

Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto pushed China’s top seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in a competitive opening game but eventually went down 20-22, 17-21 in the pre-quarterfinals. The Indian pair battled for 47 minutes before bowing out against one of the world’s strongest mixed doubles combinations.

With Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty and Unnati Hooda having exited in the opening round, Sindhu’s emphatic victory ensured India’s challenge remains alive heading into the business end of the tournament.

–IANS

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