P V Sindhu Storms Into Quarter Finals, Defeats Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt

NEW DELHI: P V Sindhu sailed into the women's singles quarterfinals with a straight-game triumph over Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt in the Olympics badminton competition on Thursday.

The 26-year-old Indian, who won silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics, notched up a 21-15 21-13 win over 13th seed Blichfeldt in a 41-minute match.

P V Sindhu will next face the winner of the match between Akane Yamaguchi of Japan and Korea's Kim Gaeun.

"I started off well in the first game but around 15-16 I gave a couple of points because I was rushing in my defence. My coach was telling me that I was playing the wrong way and I realised that and I immediately changed my tactics and completed the first game," P V Sindhu told media after the match.

"Second game I was fine, I was maintaining the lead and finished it off," she said as reported by PTI.

P V Sindhu mixed her strokes well, putting her attacking clears and drops to good use besides smashing her way to finish points whenever there was a chance.

She anticipated the shuttle better and showed good court coverage during the 41-minute clash.

After the interval, Sindhu lost a few points due to the occasional brilliance shown by her rival and sometimes, her own unforced error, but she was always in control and soon wrapped it up with a delicate shot near the net.

On Wednesday, Sindhu had defeated world No. 34 Hong Kong's NY Cheung 21-9 21-16 to top Group J.

Sindhu is the lone Indian badminton hope left in fray after B Sai Praneeth's maiden Olympic campaign ended in agony in the men's competition.

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