PV Sindhu’s shocking loss from winning position triggers India’s Uber Cup exit: 'Absolute heartbreak'

India’s campaign at the Uber Cup 2026 came to a disappointing end after a crucial loss against China, with PV Sindhu’s defeat in the opening match setting the tone for the exit.

India had started their journey with a close 2-3 defeat against hosts Denmark before bouncing back strongly to beat Ukraine 4-1. However, they needed a win against China to qualify for the quarterfinals, and things quickly went downhill after Sindhu lost her singles match to world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi.

Sindhu loses from a winning position

Sindhu began the match well despite trailing early in the first game. She recovered from a 4-7 deficit to take an 11-9 lead at the interval and extended her advantage to 14-10 with aggressive play. But Wang showed great composure and fought back strongly, leveling the score at 16-16 before closing out the game with a series of precise winners.

More from Badminton News

In the second game, Sindhu responded in strong fashion. She took control early with attacking strokes to lead 9-4. Although Wang once again fought back to make it 10-10, Sindhu stayed calm under pressure. She pushed ahead to 18-16 and converted her second game point with a powerful smash to force a decider.

The third game saw Sindhu dominate for a long period. She raced to a 9-3 lead and extended it to 11-6 at the break, later moving further ahead to 18-12. At that stage, it looked like she had the match under control. However, Wang produced a stunning comeback, winning six straight points to level at 18-18. She then went ahead and sealed the match after Sindhu hit the net on match point.

The loss proved to be a major blow for India. In the doubles match, the world No. 1 Chinese pair Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning defeated India’s Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra in straight games, further strengthening China’s grip on the tie.

India’s hopes were officially ended when Isharani Baruah lost her singles match to Chen Yu Fei, making it 3-0 in China’s favour. With the tie already decided, the remaining matches became inconsequential.