PV Sindhu loses, Rohan-Ruthvika pair enters second round of All England Badminton Open Championships

PV Sindhu's journey at the All England Open Championships came to an early end as she lost to South Korea's Kim Ga Eun in the women's singles opening round on Wednesday.
The two-time Olympic medallist, who recently recovered from a hamstring injury, lost 21-19, 13-21, 13-21 to world number 21 Kim in a match lasting just over an hour at Arena Birmingham.
Sindhu, aged 29, dominated the first game with a 20-12 lead but nearly lost control as Kim closed the gap to 19-20 before Sindhu secured the win.
The momentum shifted after the first game, with Kim showing improved movement and shot selection while Sindhu's performance declined.
This defeat adds to a series of disappointing results for world number 16 Sindhu, following her early exit at the Indonesia Masters in January and a quarterfinal finish at the India Open Super 750.
In the mixed doubles competition, India's Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde advanced to the second round by defeating Chinese Taipei's Ye Hong Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan 21-10, 17-21, 24-22.
Kapoor and Gadde will next face fifth-seeded Chinese pair Yan Zhe Feng and Ya Xin Wei.
Sindhu had previously beaten Kim in their only encounter at the 2019 Hong Kong Open but entered this tournament after withdrawing from the Asia Mixed team championships due to injury.
Playing with a blue tape on her right leg, Sindhu started strong with a 3-0 lead, showcasing her signature forehand cross.
Kim took the lead at 5-4 after Sindhu made some judgment errors and misplayed shots.
Sindhu's strategic shot placement and powerful smashes helped her establish a four-point lead at the break. The Indian player extended her lead to 15-9 with her continued dominance.
Despite Kim's efforts to compete, she struggled against Sindhu's defense and made unforced errors. During one notable rally, Kim managed to return a shot while on the floor, temporarily avoiding defeat.
Sindhu earned eight game points with another powerful smash. However, Sindhu unexpectedly lost seven game points before finally winning when Kim's shot went wide.
Kim started the second game strongly, taking a 4-1 lead. The Korean player maintained control with sharp cross-court smashes, extending her lead to 7-2.
A series of errors from Kim allowed Sindhu to reduce the gap to 6-9. Kim won a crucial 42-shot rally and entered the interval with a two-point advantage.
After the break, Kim maintained pressure on Sindhu and increased her lead to 17-12 with another powerful cross-court smash.
Sindhu's service error gave Kim seven game points, and a net error from Sindhu allowed Kim to level the match.
In the final game, Kim showed improved movement and precision, quickly building a 7-2 lead. Sindhu fought back to narrow the gap to 7-9.
Kim's precise angled returns on both sides helped her maintain an 11-7 lead at the final break.
Despite Sindhu's accurate cross smashes, Kim limited her opportunities while Sindhu made multiple errors.
Kim extended her lead to 17-11 as Sindhu continued to make mistakes, hitting into the net and sending shots long or wide.
A combination of a deceptive drop shot and a forehand cross gave Kim eight match points.
Sindhu saved one match point before losing the match with another net error.