Madrid Masters: PV Sindhu crashes out of quarters despite valiant effort against Thailand's Katethong

Indian badminton star PV Sindhu crashed out in the quarterfinals of Madrid Spain Masters 2024, losing to 17th seed Supanida Katethong from Thailand. In a contest that lasted over 77 minutes on Friday (March 29), Sindhu went down fighting 26-24, 17-21, 20-22 despite winning the first set. In a cracking showdown for the semis spot, Sindhu played brilliantly but eventually got knocked out, bringing a disappointing end to her campaign.

The first of the three sets began with Katethong taking an early lead, staying ahead with an 8-4 scoreline. However, Sindhu, known for her fighting spirit, made a stunning comeback, going past Katethong’s tally and leading by 11-8 at the break. 

Sindhu found herself at the receiving end of the first set by trying to save several match points. After successfully winning five match points against her, Sindhu clawed her way back into the game and won it, leading the game.

The second set had a few moments to cherish, with the scoreline reading 13-13 at one stage. Katethong put in the fifth gear to take the lead and win the set, drawing levels at 1-1. 

However, the third and the final set brought more drama to the plate. After Sindhu took a stunning 10-5 lead at one stage, looking stern on breaking into the semis bracket, Katethong fought back to make 12-10 in her favour. Although Sindhu showed heart, saving five match points, her Thai opponent eventually emerged victorious by winning 22-20. 

Meanwhile, it was Sindhu’s fourth loss in nine outings against her Thai opponent. Last year, it was the match against Katethong, after which Sindhu was ruled out for four months due to an injury.

On the other hand, the mixed doubles team of B Sumeeth Reddy and N Sikki Reddy qualified for the semis, defeating Lisa Ayu Kusumawati and Rehan Kusharjanto in the quarters. The Indian pair will take on Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Mentari of Indonesia in the semis.