PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic winner, was eliminated in the opening round of the All-England Open 2025. On March 12, Sindhu, who is now ranked 16th in the world in women's singles, lost to South Korea's lower-ranked Kim Ga-eun 21-19, 13-21, 13-21 in Birmingham. An hour and a minute passed during the match.
Sindhu got off to a great start, winning the first game, but Kim got the opportunity to rally, and Sindhu lost the coveted Super 1000 competition heartbreakingly. In the last two games, where Kim easily controlled the rallies, the Indian shuttler found it difficult to regain her groove.
Since her run to the 2021 semifinals, Sindhu has now been eliminated early at the All England Open four times in a row. Even though she has won important championships, such as the World Championships, she has continuously failed to advance far in Birmingham.
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P V Sindhu made it to the quarterfinals of the India Open in January to start the year. She was sidelined in February, though, due to a hamstring issue. Upon her return, she was confronted with a difficult draw at the All England Open, where she might meet fourth-seeded Yu Han of China in the second round.
But Sindhu faltered at the first obstacle. She got off to a great start in the first game, outscoring Kim Ga-eun 19–12. But just before Sindhu finished it out 21-19, Kim found her rhythm and saved seven game points.
At the end of the first game, Sindhu roared with relief after surviving the late scare.
After that, things started to go south. Sindhu found it difficult to control play because of the tape visible on her right knee. Kim denied Sindhu the chance to dominate the rallies by frequently aiming overhead cross-court strokes to the backcourt. The Korean eventually won three games by moving more freely and displaying more decisiveness at the front and back of the court.
The final game showed Sindhu deflated. She was unable to create a serious challenge in the decider and gave up without having any answers to Kim's strategies.
Sindhu, who struggled in 2024 and missed an Olympic medal for the first time in three years, will be hoping to put together a more reliable run. It was not until January 2025 that the famous player joined forces with Irwansyah Adi Pratama, an Indonesian coach.