PV Sindhu began her 2026 season with a solid win at the Malaysia Open, overcoming Chinese Taipei’s Sung Shuo Yun 21-13, 22-20 in the round of 32 in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. The match lasted 51 minutes and saw Sindhu grow stronger as it progressed.
For the second year in a row, Sindhu opened her season against Sung. Though the context was different.
Sindhu made her comeback after a long break. She ended her 2025 season early due to injury. That lack of match practice showed early on as she trailed 1-7, struggling to find rhythm.
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Finding her rhythm again
Despite the shaky start, Sindhu figured out the match rhythm quickly. She began timing her shots better and showed signs of her signature attacks in the game. Even when Sung won a long 22-shot rally to go up 8-4, Sindhu looked more comfortable on court.
A series of powerful forehand smash winners helped her level the score at 9-9 before she took an 11-9 lead into the mid-game interval.
After the break, Sindhu stepped up her intensity. She absorbed pressure well in defence and converted key points with sharp smashes. A run of 10 consecutive points took her to a commanding 16-9 lead. She closed out the opening game with a clever backhand drive that caught Sung off guard.
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Drama in second game
Sung once again started strongly in the second game, but Sindhu responded with smart variations, mixing power with softer drops. She led 11-8 at the interval as Sung defended better and forced longer rallies.
Though Sindhu moved ahead 14-9, Sung fought back to level at 15-15. The turning point came in a brutal rally that ended with a well-placed half smash from Sindhu, drawing a fist pump from the Indian.
There was late drama when a reviewed call made it 19-19 instead of 20-17. Sindhu briefly rushed her shots but stayed calm to convert her second match point, sealing a confident start to her season.
