New Delhi, Jan 14: Two-time Olympic medallist Pusarla V. Sindhu suffered a shock early exit from the YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2026, going down to Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh in a gripping opening-round clash at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex on Wednesday.
Nguyen held her nerve in a 68-minute battle to stun the home favourite 20-22, 21-12, 21-15, registering her third consecutive win over Sindhu and taking a 3-2 lead in their head-to-head record.
Nguyen admitted she was initially taken aback by the draw after Sindhu’s strong showing at last week’s Malaysia Open, where the Indian reached the Super 1000 semifinals.
“When I found out I would play Sindhu, I thought, ‘Oh my God,’ because she had just played so well,” Nguyen said. “I knew she would attack a lot, so my focus was on blocking and staying in the rally.”
That strategy paid dividends. Nguyen’s solid defence and consistency forced errors from Sindhu, especially in the decisive third game, allowing the Vietnamese shuttler to wrest control of the contest.
Sindhu acknowledged the challenge posed by her opponent’s game.
“She has good skills, but more than that, she makes you play longer rallies,” Sindhu said. “That makes it tricky.”
The victory marks another milestone in Nguyen’s steady rise on the tour. After a strong 2025 season that saw her break into the world’s top 20, the Vietnam No.1 had been sidelined for several months following the Australian Open.
“I didn’t come here with too many expectations because I had stopped for two or three months,” Nguyen said. “I just wanted to try my best on court.”
With a packed calendar ahead — including the BWF World Championships 2026 in India and the Asian Games — Nguyen stressed the importance of fitness management.
“I’m always travelling alone, so it’s not easy. My main goal is to stay fit and avoid injuries.”
For Sindhu, the early exit is a setback on home soil, while Nguyen marches on with growing confidence and momentum on the BWF World Tour.
Source: BWF
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