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Indian badminton icon PV Sindhu experienced a devastating and agonizing exit at the China Open 2026, falling short in a legendary, spine-tingling battle against home favorite and world No. 4 Chen Yufei in Changzhou. After fighting tooth and nail for one hour and 29 minutes, Sindhu was agonizingly close to sealing victory in straight games, holding four match points before a sudden physical setback and a stunning comeback from the Chinese star snatched a quarterfinal spot away from her grasp.

A Rollercoaster Battle: Sindhu’s Brilliant Opening Domination and Momentum Shift

The high-stakes second-round encounter unfolded as a thrilling rematch of their recent semifinal clash at the Japan Open. Chen Yufei started strong, establishing an early 11-6 lead in the opening game. However, showcasing her trademark resilience, Sindhu unleashed an unstoppable streak of seven consecutive points, neutralizing Chen’s cross-drop strategies to comfortably capture the first game 21-16. The momentum continued into the second set, where the Indian champion maintained aggressive control, racing ahead to a commanding 20-16 lead and placing herself just one solitary point away from a famous triumph.

Injury Scare and Chen Yufei’s Dramatic Comeback in Changzhou

With victory almost in hand, physical discomfort began to plague Sindhu, visibly disrupting her movement on the court after a missed drop shot. Sensing vulnerability, the fourth-ranked Chinese shuttler mounted a miraculous recovery, saving four consecutive match points to steal the second game 22-20. The decider turned into a grueling tactical war of attrition displaying classical 21-point system brilliance, as praised by Indian coach Vimal Kumar. Despite seizing an 11-8 lead at the interval, Sindhu could not fend off Chen’s fierce onslaught, eventually dropping the final game 21-18 to bow out of the tournament.