New Delhi, 02 June (H.S.): Indian badminton star P. V. Sindhu registered an impressive victory on Tuesday to advance to the Round of 16 (pre-quarterfinals) of the women's singles event at the Indonesia Open 2026. However, India suffered setbacks in the singles categories as Kidambi Srikanth and Malvika Bansod were eliminated in the opening round.

The two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu faced a stiff challenge from Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan but emerged victorious 25-23, 21-16 in a hard-fought contest that lasted 51 minutes.

The former world champion edged through a closely contested first game before maintaining her momentum in the second to secure a straight-games victory.

In the next round, Sindhu could face reigning Olympic champion and World No. 1 An Se-young. Sindhu was defeated by An Se-young in the quarterfinals of the Singapore Open last week. The Indian shuttler is yet to register a victory against the South Korean star, having lost all nine of their previous encounters.

Meanwhile, former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth saw his campaign come to an end in the first round. He was defeated 21-19, 21-15 by Japan’s Yushi Tanaka.

In the women's singles draw, Malvika Bansod also failed to progress beyond the opening round. She lost 21-12, 21-10 to seventh-seeded Thai player Pornpawee Chochuwong.

India, however, enjoyed success in the men's doubles event. The pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and M. R. Arjun defeated Malaysia’s Noor Mohammad Azriyn Ayub and Tan Wee Kiong 21-18, 21-10 to secure a place in the second round.

Later in the day, India’s women’s doubles duo of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, men’s singles contender Lakshya Sen, and the mixed doubles pair of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto will begin their respective campaigns.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar