PV Sindhu advances to China Masters 2025 Quarterfinals with straight-sets victory

Sindhu's Dominant Performance Against Top-10 Opponent

The 14th-ranked Indian shuttler improved her head-to-head record against the world No. 6 Thai player to 6-5 with this impressive straight-game win. This marked Sindhu's third victory against a top-10 ranked player this year, following her wins over Tomoka Miyazaki at the China Open and Wang Zhiyi at the World Championships.

Sindhu displayed exceptional control throughout the match, utilizing her signature round-the-head crosscourt smashes effectively to trouble Chochuwong and break her rhythm. The Indian shuttler's attacking game was complemented by sharp shot placement and superior court coverage, leaving little opportunity for her Thai opponent to mount a comeback.

Recovery from Hong Kong Open Setback

This quarterfinal berth represents a significant bounce-back for Sindhu, who had suffered an early exit in the first round of the recently concluded Hong Kong Open. The straight-sets victory provided much-needed confidence after experiencing six first-round exits this season.

"I am happy with the win and it was very important for me from the beginning to be alert and give my 100 per cent," Sindhu said after the match. "She (Chochuwong) is a top player. I played her in the Indonesia Open; that time also it was a hard match. After winning the first game, I was much more alert in the second game".

Quarterfinal Challenge Awaits

Sindhu will now face a formidable challenge in the quarterfinals, where she is set to meet either world No. 1 An Se Young of Korea or Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt. The Korean shuttler holds a perfect win record against Sindhu, making it potentially the toughest test yet for the Indian star.

Satwik-Chirag Progress to Round of 16

In men's doubles action, India's eighth-seeded pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty successfully advanced to the round of 16 with a straight-game victory over Malaysia's Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap. The duo, who finished as runners-up at the Hong Kong Open last week, secured a 24-22, 21-13 win in 42 minutes.

The Indian pair will next face Chinese Taipei's formidable duo of Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi-Lin in their round of 16 encounter. Wang Chi-Lin is a two-time Olympic gold medallist (2020, 2024) who recently partnered with the 21-year-old Chiu following Lee Yang's retirement.

Mixed Results for India

While Sindhu and the men's doubles pair advanced, India's campaign in other categories faced setbacks. Lakshya Sen, despite being a finalist at the Hong Kong Open, suffered a disappointing first-round exit, losing 11-21, 10-21 to France's Toma Junior Popov in just 30 minutes. The mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also exited early, falling 19-21, 13-21 to second-seeded Chinese duo Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dongping.

Tournament Context and Prize Money

The China Masters 2025, officially known as the Li-Ning China Masters 2025, features a substantial prize pool of USD 1,250,000 and is being held at the Shenzhen Arena from September 16-21. As a BWF Super 750 event, it offers 11,000 ranking points to the winners. The tournament has attracted top players from around the world, with China fielding a strong contingent led by Chen Yufei, Wang Zhiyi, and Han Yue in women's singles.

Sindhu's impressive run continues her steady progress under Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, with whom she has been working to regain her peak form. The partnership appears to be yielding positive results as evidenced by her commanding performance against a top-10 opponent in Shenzhen.