Arctic Open: PV Sindhu crashes out after defeat against Canada’s Michelle Li

Vantaa [Finland], October 9 (ANI): Indian badminton star PV Sindhu on Tuesday crashed out of the Arctic Open 2024 after a defeat against Canada’s Michelle Li in the first round.

Sindhu faced problems from the start of the bout and ended up losing to Li 21-16, 21-10. The match lasted 37 minutes.

It was PV Sindhu’s first appearance in a tournament after the Paris Olympics 2024.

It was also Sindhu’s first game under her new coaches India’s Anoop Sridhar and the Republic of Korea’s Lee Soon Il. Following her exit from the Paris Olympics, Sinfhu bid adieu to her former coach Indonesia’s Agus Dwi Santoso.

Michelle Li and PV Sindhu have faced each other 14 times, where the Canadian could win just four games. Michelle will face India’s Unnati Hooda, who clinched a win against Brazil’s Juliana Viana Vieira 21-16, 23-25, 21-17.

Meanwhile, Aakarshi Kashyap advanced to the Round of 16 after beating Germany’s Yvonne Li 21-19, 21-14. The match lasted for 45 minutes.

Malvika Bansod will also be joining Kashyap in the next round after she defeated Chinese Taipei’s Sung Shuo Yun in a 21-19, 24-22 win.

Indian badminton player Kiran George defeated French shuttler Lucas Calarebout 21-16, 13-21, 21-19 in his qualifying round clash to advance to the men’s singles main draw.

Sathish Kumar Karunakaran’s campaign in men’s singles came to an end after a 21-6, 21-13 loss to Arnaud Merkle of France. However, Karunakaran and his partner Aadya Variyath moved into mixed doubles with a victory over Estonian pair Mikk Ounmaa and Ramona Uprus.

India’s Lakshya Sen on Wednesday will return to the court for the first time since making the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics. He will take on Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke in the first round of men’s singles.