Paris Olympics 2024, Badminton: PV Sindhu Storms into Women's Single Pre-Quarters After Defeating Estonia's Kristin Kuuba

Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu on Wednesday cruised into women’s single badminton pre-quarterfinals in the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. The ace Indian shuttler defeated Estonian opponent Kristin Kuuba 21-5, 21-10 in her second and last Group M match to qualify for the Round of 16.

Sindhu made a dominant start in the face-off, leading by 8 points before Kuuba opened her account in the first game. The Estonian shuttler tried marinating the momentum but couldn’t match Sindhu’s intensity. After losing the first game 21-5, Kuuba took the lead in the second but failed to maintain it. Sindhu, on the other hand, made up for the lost points and raced to a second consecutive win in the ongoing Olympic Games.

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Sindhu, who had beaten Maldives’ Fathimath Abdul Razzaq 21-9 21-6 in her first match, topped the group. The winner of each of the 16 groups qualifies for the round of 16.

The Indian ace has previously won a silver medal in the 2016 Rio Games and a bronze in the Tokyo edition. Just like in her first match, Sindhu did not have to toil much, as the gulf in class between the two players was evident.

The Estonian, ranked 73rd in the world as against 13th position of the Indian, was completely out of sorts in the first game which Sindhu pocketed in 14 minutes. Kuuba took a 2-0 lead but Sindhu quickly seized the initiative and levelled the score. But Kuuba did not throw in the towel and engaged the Indian in longer rallies.

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There was one rare moment when Sindhu was stretched to the full near the net and Kuuba smashed the shuttle beyond the reach of the Indian. But the vastly experienced Sindhu was in her element soon after.

Two cross-court smashes gave Sindhu a 15-6 lead and from there on, it was all over for the Estonian, who saved two match points before surrendering.

(With PTI Inputs)

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