NEW DELHI: Indian shuttler PV Sindhu faced an early exit from the All-England Open 2025 badminton tournament after suffering a defeat against Kim Ga Eun of South Korea in the first round of the women’s singles event on Wednesday.
Despite a promising start, Sindhu, currently ranked 16th in the world, lost to the 21st-ranked Kim Ga Eun with a score of 21-19, 13-21, 13-21 in a match that lasted 61 minutes.
The 29-year-old Indian player began strongly, leading 11-7 at the first break and holding a comfortable 20-12 advantage in the opening game.
However, Kim Ga Eun fought back, saving seven game points before eventually losing the first game. Sindhu, who played with a strapping on her right knee, struggled to maintain her momentum as the match progressed.
In the second game, both players were evenly matched until the latter stages, when Kim Ga Eun took control, forcing a decider. The South Korean shuttler carried her momentum into the third game, surging to a 7-1 lead.
Although Sindhu narrowed the gap to 9-7, Kim Ga Eun’s aggressive strategy after the break proved decisive, securing her a spot in the next round.
This marks Sindhu’s second consecutive first-round exit of the year and her fourth straight opening-round defeat at the prestigious Super 1000 event.
In other events, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the men’s doubles pre-quarterfinals, while Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand progressed in the women’s doubles. However, Priya Konjengbam, Shruti Mishra, and Tanisha Crasto faced early exits in their respective events.
Lakshya Sen and Malvika Bansod, who secured victories in their opening singles matches on Tuesday, will compete in the second round on Thursday.