P V Sindhu loses to Chen Yufei in China Open second round

Indian badminton ace P V Sindhu let slip early advantage to bow out of China Open with a gruelling three-game loss to local favourite and world number four Chen Yufei in the second round here on Thursday.

Sindhu lost 21-16 20-22 18-21 in the energy-sapping match lasted close to one and a half hour. The 30-year-old Hyderabadi had entered the tournament on a high after winning the Japan Open last week, ending a lengthy title drought.

That the match was going to be a closely fought affair was evident in the opening game itself in which Sindhu rallied from 7-13 to be 16-16.

The Indian then reeled off five consecutive points to grab the early advantage.

However, it was Chen's turn to pull off a comeback in the second game as Sindhu frittered away four game points.

Chen, who is a gold-medallist from Tokyo Olympics in 2021, took the game 22-20, clawing back from a 16-20 position.

The deciding third game also went neck-and-neck for most part before Chen broke away at 17-17 to clinch the victory.