PV Sindhu crashes out of Hong Kong Open in the round of 32
India’s two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu crashed out of the Hong Kong Open Super 500, losing to Denmark’s unseeded Line Christophersen on Wednesday. Sindhu, who had reached the BWF World Championships quarterfinals last month, went down 21-15, 16-21, 19-21 in the round of 32. The defeat that Sindhu conceded in just an hour was her first against the 25-year-old Dane after five previous wins. The Indian started in a fashion, surging ahead 3-1 in the opening game. From 14-13, she allowed Christophersen only one more point before sealing the opener. The second game, however, slipped away as Sindhu led 13-12 but conceded five straight points to lose momentum. The decider turned into a nerve-wracking battle, with the scores tied at 19-all. Christophersen held firm to take the final two points and knock out the former World Champion. Sindhu’s exit comes just as she seemed to be rediscovering form after early-season setbacks at the Swiss Open and Japan Open.
Satwik-Chirag’s ‘sweet revenge’ of Paris Olympics in BWF against the Malaysian pair on Friday
India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty assured themselves a medal at the BWF World Championships in Paris after beating Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Wooi Yik Soh in the quarterfinal. This will be the Indian pair’s second world championship medal, following a bronze in the 2022 edition. The quarterfinal win also helped Satwik-Chirag avenge their defeat to the same Malaysian pair in the 2024 Paris Olympics quarterfinals at the same venue. “It was a rematch of sorts from the Olympics and I think we finally got some redemption. It was the same court, same arena, a year back exactly. It’s always a pleasure playing against them. We’ve always had some really tough battles at the biggest of events and really happy we could win today,” said Chirag after the win. Satwik-Chirag outclassed their opponents in straight games, a margin which took even them by a little surprise. “In the second game, when we were leading, I was thinking for sure we would not win this easily. I was telling myself, ‘Don’t hurry for the point’. I had a belief that we were under control, no need to panic, because we only gave [away] a few points there. “They were under pressure, I sensed that. As I said before, we just want to play our A game and see where we’ll end up. That’s what we are doing from the first match. We are just focusing on ourselves, not on the opponents. We are really happy the way we played today,” added Satwik. Satwik and Chirag will now take on World No. 11 Li Yiu and Bo Yang Chen of China in their semifinal on Saturday.
PV Sindhu turns 30: Country’s richest female badminton star becomes emotional visiting her father-in-law’s institution
On Friday, the day before her 30th birthday today, India’s badminton icon Pusarla Venkata Sindhu became emotional after visiting the iconic campus of the National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT) in Nagpur, which was not just as a sports star. Rather, it was as a family member retracing the footsteps of someone dear. Her father-in-law, a distinguished IRS officer, trained at NADT in the early ’90s as part of the 46th batch. Now retired, he remains one of the most respected figures in the service. Sindhu’s reflection of her emotion was exposed in her tweet where she wrote, “Three decades later, he retired as one of the most respected officers in the service. It was truly special to walk the same campus and meet some of his batchmates…” For the Olympian, this wasn’t just a visit—it was a tribute to the journey of public service, dedication, and legacy that her family has been a part of. During her interaction with the officer trainees, Sindhu was struck by their energy and curiosity. The young recruits of India’s Income Tax department got a rare opportunity to engage with a global sports icon—and made the most of it. “Thank you for your warmth, energy, and thoughtful questions,” she said, appreciating the lively exchange that followed. A role model for today’s generation with 20 medals across all the senior competitions, and seven major notable awards from the Indian government, Sindhu is an extremely popular athlete and enjoys an estimated net worth of Rs 59 crores, making her the richest female badminton star in India. She earns her wealth from prize money bagged from her achievements at various international tournaments, including the Olympics and the World Championships. Sindhu is also a brand favourite and endorses Maybelline, Li Ning, Bank of Baroda, and Asian Paints. According to reports, Sindhu has also made smart investments in different startups like Hoop (wellness), Better Nutrition (FMCG), and Azad Engineering (aerospace) to enhance her earnings and maintain her luxury lifestyle. She lives in a lavish home in Hyderabad and has multiple eye-catching assets like BMW X5, Mahindra Thar, and BMW 320D, which was gifted to her by legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
