Day 4 of the BWF World Championships delivered high-octane drama, but it ultimately witnessed a big heartbreak for India as PV Sindhu’s campaign came to an agonizing close in a high-stakes thriller, bringing her hunt for a historic sixth World Championship medal to a painful halt. The final scoreline was 21-11, 15-21 and 21-17 in the Chinese shuttler’s favour. Third-seeded Wang Zhi Yi pushed the Indian superstar to her absolute limits in a gruelling, roller-coaster contest that kept the arena on edge, with Sindhu faltering only in the final stretch after giving everything on the court.
In the second game, Ayush lost his momentum entirely. The momentum shifted during the match when the Chinese shuttler appeared to experience some discomfort and took medical time-outs on a couple of occasions. The interruptions disrupted Sindhu’s rhythm, leaving the Indian unsure whether her opponent was genuinely struggling or using it as a strategic move. “I don’t know if she’s injured or not, maybe that is her strategy or her way of doing it. You never know. Maybe that’s her gameplay, but I had to be very focused and very patient and, you know, focus on every point. So, yeah, I think the last three points just changed the game is what I felt. A few critical misjudgments, including leaving shuttles in the hope that they would land out, cost her valuable points. From that moment, the intensity escalated to another level. Though fatigue began to show. At this critical juncture, Sindhu conceded a couple of easy unforced errors, losing her grip on the contest. Despite showing visible physical discomfort late in the set, Wang stayed composed and capitalized on the openings. Meanwhile, Ayush Shetty’s campaign ended after a tough defeat to Alwi Farhan. Despite sustained support from the crowd, nothing clicked for him on court.
The opening game began on an even note with both shuttlers locked at 5-5, but Sindhu soon lost her momentum. Wang seized the opportunity, took full control of the pace, and comfortably closed out the first game 21-11. With the passionate crowd roaring behind her, Sindhu came out firing in the second game and quickly built a 9-6 lead. Wang refused to let her pull away easily and fought back to level the score at 11-11, setting up a sensational battle. Both shuttlers pushed each other through long, exhausting rallies, with Sindhu prevailing in the majority of the extended exchanges, including a gruelling 41-shot rally to move ahead 15-12. Sindhu then shifted gears at 15-15, going all guns blazing to win the second game 21-15 and force a deciding third set. Sindhu carried that ferocious momentum into the final game, racing to an early 3-0 lead and immediately putting Wang under pressure. However, another twist awaited as the resilient Chinese shuttler refused to surrender, eventually levelling the score at 15-15 in the late stages. In the end, Sindhu faltered in the closing moments, losing the decider 17-21. Shetty took an early 3–0 lead in the opening game before momentum shifted to Farhan, who rallied to take the lead. it wasn’t enough to turn the game around, and Farhan secured the first game 21–19 Although Ayush fought hard to close the gap. High expectations followed his victory over the defending champion in the round of 64, but he struggled to find his rhythm, and the match quickly slipped away. The frustration became visible in his body language as Farhan extended his lead to seven points late in the game, ultimately closing out the set 21–11.
I should have been a little patient,” Sindhu said after the match.
