ODENSE, October 14, 2026: India’s campaign at the Denmark Open Super 750 witnessed mixed results as two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu suffered a first-round exit after a closely contested three-game defeat to Germany’s Yvonne Li. Meanwhile, Kidambi Srikanth and young Indian shuttler Tanvi Sharma secured victories to advance to the second round.
Sindhu lost 21-13, 23-25, 19-21 in a match lasting one hour and five minutes at the SJF Bank Arena, while Srikanth and Tanvi kept India’s challenge alive in the tournament.
Sindhu Lets Early Advantage Slip
Sindhu began confidently, taking the opening game 21-13 with a combination of precise drop shots and powerful down-the-line smashes. She held an 11-7 lead at the mid-game interval before closing out the game comfortably.
Li, however, raised her level in the second game and drew Sindhu into longer rallies and tighter exchanges at the net. Although the Indian saved two game points when trailing 18-20, the German eventually secured the game 25-23 to force a decider.
Li Stages Dramatic Comeback in Deciding Game
Sindhu appeared to be in control of the third game after establishing a 12-7 lead. Despite allowing Li to draw level following a series of unforced errors, the Indian recovered and moved ahead 19-15, putting herself within two points of victory.
Li responded by adjusting her approach, blocking more of Sindhu’s smashes and forcing her opponent into lifts and difficult net exchanges. The German then won six consecutive points to take the deciding game 21-19 and complete the comeback.
The result marked Li’s first reported victory over Sindhu and ended the Indian shuttler’s campaign in the opening round.
Sindhu’s Denmark Open Campaign Ends Early
Sindhu entered the tournament after reaching the quarterfinals of the Arctic Open earlier in October. She had initially been scheduled to face world No. 1 An Se-young in the opening round, but withdrawals led to a revised draw that paired her with Li.
The first-round defeat means Sindhu will now look to regroup ahead of her upcoming international assignments.
Kidambi Srikanth Advances in Straight Games
Former Denmark Open champion Kidambi Srikanth produced a composed performance against France’s Arnaud Merkle, winning 22-20, 21-19 to secure his place in the second round.
The closely fought contest required Srikanth to maintain his composure in both games, particularly during the closing stages. The Indian had previously won the Denmark Open title in 2017.
Tanvi Sharma Wins Three-Game Thriller
Rising Indian shuttler Tanvi Sharma also progressed after defeating Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira in a hard-fought encounter.
Tanvi won 21-17, 16-21, 21-19, showing resilience after losing the second game. She will face Yvonne Li in the next round, setting up an intriguing contest against the German who eliminated Sindhu.
Lakshya Sen Exits After Defeat to Chou Tien Chen
India’s men’s singles campaign also suffered a setback as Lakshya Sen lost to Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen.
Sen went down 18-21, 21-13, 15-21 in three games, ending his Denmark Open run in the first round.
Focus Shifts to Srikanth and Tanvi
With Sindhu and Lakshya eliminated, Srikanth and Tanvi remain among the Indian players advancing to the next stage in the events covered. Srikanth will aim to build on his straight-games victory, while Tanvi faces a challenging test against Li.
Tanvi’s upcoming match carries added interest following Li’s comeback win over Sindhu, as the young Indian looks to continue her progress at the Super 750 tournament.
Source – The Indian Express
Supreme News Network
