PV Sindhu misses out on Spain Masters title, loses straight sets to Gregoria Mariska Tunjung
Indian badminton sensation PV Sindhu fell short in the final of the Madrid Spain Masters, losing to world number 12 Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in straight sets 8-21, 8-21 at Centro Deportivo Municipal Gallur on Sunday.
Sindhu lose final of Spanish Masters
Sindhu’s loss in the final came after a dominant 7-0 lead in the semifinals against Singaporean Yeo Jia Min, which led to high expectations of a first title win for Sindhu in eight months.
However, Sindhu’s performance in the final appeared underwhelming, as she struggled to match the tactical acumen and sharpness of Tunjung, who previously won the 2022 Asia Team Championships as part of the Indonesian women’s team.
Missed opportunity for Sindhu
The final was a missed opportunity for Sindhu, who could not seal her first crown in eight months. Sindhu’s loss in the final was largely due to her inability to match the tactical skills of Tunjung, a former junior world champion.
Tunjung grabbed 12 championship points in the second set, and sealed the match in style when Sindhu committed another net error, allowing the young Indonesian to record her maiden world tour title.
Since returning from injury, Sindhu has been struggling for form this season, slipping out of the top 10 in the world rankings. It was the first time in 2023 that the 27-year-old former world champion crossed the second round.
In the lead-up to the tournament, Sindhu had stated that she was looking to regain her form, and had been putting in the effort to improve her fitness and technique. However, her performance in the final against Tunjung suggested that she still has some way to go before regaining the consistency that has made her a world-class player.
Srikanth’s quarterfinal loss
In other results, Kidambi Srikanth suffered a loss to top seed Kenta Nishimoto of Japan 18-21, 15-21 in the men’s singles quarterfinals.
Despite the defeat, Sindhu can take heart from the fact that she has been able to reach the final of the Madrid Spain Masters, and will be looking to build on this performance as the season progresses.
Overall, the Madrid Spain Masters proved to be a challenging tournament for Sindhu, but she will be looking to come back stronger in the next competition.
