PV Sindhu falls to Denmark’s line Christophersen in Hong Kong open first round

Sindhu, seeded eighth and enjoying a dominant 5–0 head-to-head record against Christophersen, appeared in control after taking the opening game 21–15. However, the 25-year-old Dane bounced back in the second set, capitalising on unforced errors from the Indian to level the match 21–16. The deciding game proved to be a nerve-wracking affair, with both players exchanging leads. Sindhu led 15–11 at one stage but could not stave off Christophersen’s relentless attacking play, eventually dropping the final points to lose 21–19 and bow out in under an hour.

This defeat marks Sindhu’s first career loss to Christophersen in six meetings and ends her quest for a first title of the 2025 season. The Indian star had shown signs of resurgence with a quarter-final appearance at the BWF World Championships last month, but inconsistency continued to plague her campaign.

“It was a tight match. Line played exceptionally well, especially in the final stages,” Sindhu reflected post-match. “I had my chances, but she seized the momentum when it mattered most.” 

India’s hopes at the Super 500 event suffered further setbacks as women’s doubles pair Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda lost 17–21, 9–21, while the mixed doubles duo of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were beaten 16–21, 11–21 in their respective opening rounds.

One bright spot for India was the top men’s doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who advanced to the round of 16 with a 21–13, 18–21, 21–10 victory over Taiwan’s Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi-Lin on Tuesday.

With major tournaments like the China Open and the season-ending World Tour Finals ahead, Sindhu will aim to quickly regroup and regain her form on the BWF circuit.