NEW DELHI: PV Sindhu’s quest for an unprecedented sixth World Championships medal ended in a gruelling pre-quarterfinal defeat to China’s Wang Zhi Yi on Thursday, with the Indian admitting the loss “hurts a lot more” on home soil while questioning whether her opponent’s late cramps were part of her tactics.Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu fought back after losing the opening game but eventually went down 11-21, 21-15, 17-21 to world No. 3 Wang at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. Wang, who battled cramps in both legs during the closing stages, held her nerve to reach the quarterfinals.The match appeared to turn at 16-15 in the deciding game when Wang fell while chasing a shuttle and immediately clutched her left thigh. After a medical timeout, she returned with the score level at 16-16.“I don’t know if she had an injury or what, maybe that was her tactics and her way of doing it,” Sindhu told reporters after the match.“I have to be focused and I was, but again each point matters, right? At that point, even though she takes a break or not, if she is injured or not, you never know.”
Wang insists cramps were genuine
Wang, however, insisted the cramps were genuine and rejected any suggestion that the stoppages were tactical.“I had to push myself hard, that’s why I suffered cramps. I understand she (Sindhu) might have thought it at that moment but I was really injured that time,” Wang said through an interpreter.“It was such a tough match today. She is a very strong opponent, she has fast attack. My game plan worked and I am proud of my performance today. That moment I just told myself to keep going, never give up.”Wang regained the lead at 18-17 with a smash before another marathon 54-shot rally ended with Sindhu going long. Wang again clutched her right thigh, before Sindhu sent a smash into the net to hand her three match points. Wang screamed before collapsing on the court after winning the next point.“Maybe that is her way of game style or that is her way of strategy, but for me it is just that I need to focus and play every point and focus on every point,” Sindhu said.
‘I should have been a little more patient’
Sindhu also felt she had chances to close out the match and acknowledged that greater patience could have changed the outcome.“I should have converted that into a win because I mean they were long rallies. It was a good match and I think 17-17 at that point, every point matters. And I should have been a little more patient is what I felt,” she said.The defeat ended Sindhu’s long-standing unbeaten record against Chinese players at the World Championships and denied her another opportunity to add to her haul of two bronze medals, two silvers and one gold.“It does hurt a lot more because after you train and work hard for so long, losing these kind of matches definitely hurts a lot. But I think it is a game, that is how it is supposed to be,” Sindhu said.“You will get much more stronger that way and bounce back stronger and learn from your mistakes. Whatever is done is done and I think now it is time to go back and see and do whatever is required.”The 31-year-old remained determined to continue chasing a sixth World Championships medal.“Absolutely, this time I have tried hard but at the end of the day only one can win. But yeah, definitely I will keep trying,” she said.
