Credit: Twitter
Former world number 2, PV Sindhu moved past former world champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the first round of Arctic Open 2023. A two-time Olympic Medalist, Sindhu defeated Okuhara 21-13, 21-6 in a women’s singles event in Vantaa, Finland on Tuesday, October 10. Sindhu, who has been going through a rough patch off late, marked her 10th victory over the Japanese rival in their 19th clash against each other.
Both Sindhu and Okuhara have earlier locked horns in the world championship finals twice, with both winning one each. In Tuesday's match, Sindhu was initially trailing 0-4; however, the Indian made a solid bounce to lead the world number 29 by 11-6 later, winning the first set with ease.
Sindhu, currently at the 13th spot in the rankings continued her aggressive approach in the second game as well. With this, she took down her Japanese counterpart with a notable margin of 21-6 to seal the victory and move past the Round of 16.
Speaking of other Indian shuttlers at the tournament, the Indian duo of K Sai Pratheek and Tanisha Crasto made it to the round of 32 in the mixed doubles. Not only this but in another women’s singles clash, Aakarshi Kashyap advanced further in the competition by sealing a come-from-back victory against Lianne Tan of Belgium.
