Paris Olympics: PV Sindhu Starts With A Dominant Win Over Fathimath Abdul Razzaq
NDTV
PV Sindhu took just 29 minutes to dispatch her lower-ranked opponent 21-9 21-6 in the Group M fixture.
Two-time Olympic medallist Indian shuttler PV Sindhu began her Paris Olympics campaign with a resounding win in straight games over Maldives' Fathimath Abdul Razzaq in the women's singles group stage match, on Sunday. The gulf of class between the two players was evident as Sindhu, who is vying for a third Olympic medal, took just 29 minutes to dispatch her lower-ranked opponent 21-9 21-6 in the Group M fixture. After a couple of unforced errors, Sindhu was quick to assess the condition and took control of the proceedings, racing to a 11-4 lead.
The world No 111 Fathimath was no match against the former world champion who finished the first game in a mere 13 minutes.
The second game followed a similar manner with Sindhu claiming the first four points in the blink of an eye to take an early lead.
However, Razzaq capitalised on Sindhu's error to bridge the gap to make it 3-4. But it became a one-sided contest once again as the Indian increased the gap to 10-3.
In the end, Sindhu had as many as 14 match points but the world No 13 needed only one to seal the tie.
After Refusing To Travel To Pakistan, India Will Play Champions Trophy Matches At This Venue: Report
On Thursday, the deadlock over the hosting of Champions Trophy finally ended when the ICC announced that India will play their matches of the 50-over event at a neutral venue.