Guangzhou: PV Sindhu’s poor run of form continued as she lost to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi for a dismal start to her title defence at the year-ending BWF World Tour Final here Wednesday.
Sindhu squandered an 11-6 lead in the second game to go down 18-21 21-18 21-8 in 68 minutes to former world No. 1 Yamaguchi, who scripted a sensational comeback after losing the first game to claim her third successive win over the Indian.
The 24-year-old Indian came into her campaign opener with a healthy 10-6 head-to-head record against Yamaguchi but she had lost to the Japanese in the last two meetings this year.
The World No. 6 Sindhu will next face China’s Chen Yu Fei in her second group A match Thursday.
PTI