On paper, the result will show that reigning Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei of China beat PV Sindhu in the quarterfinals of the French Open Super 750 in a tough, marathon battle. The scoreline of 22-24, 21-17, 21-18 in 92 minutes will indicate just how close the match had been. A highlights video might show some of the best shots and gruelling rallies, of which there were plenty.
But the biggest, positive takeaway from this match may not been seen in either the margin or a video clip.
Because even a loss as close and heartbreaking as this is actually a very encouraging sign for Sindhu. In most other situations, a narrow loss like this would weigh heavy on any player. But given the position Sindhu - India's most successful badminton player - finds herself in, this loss should be more motivation that misery.
Here's why:
A challenging comeback
The last time PV Sindhu played the French Open Super 750, she had just about hit some form after a difficult injury comeback - before hurting her knee and conceding mid-match last October. This new injury kept her away from courts for almost four months and added more questions to what had been an indifferent 2023 season.
The last time PV Sindhu played the French Open Super 750, she had just about hit some form after a difficult injury comeback - before hurting her knee and conceding mid-match last October. This new injury kept her away from courts for almost four months and added more questions to what had been an indifferent 2023 season.
A comeback after a full reset including a new coach, new training venue, new mentor, entirely new support team. Sure, she played, and won, the Badminton Asia Team Championship in February. But the BWF Tour can be a whole different ball game and it was this comeback in Paris that would set the tone for her season ahead.
Would Sindhu's 2024 start to the season be like 2023, where she returned from a five-month injury layoff and struggled with movement for most of the year? Could her fitness come close to the player she was before the surgery in 2022? Would having two coaches, bringing the legendary Prakash Padukone on tour with her help?
Sindhu answered these questions and more with three, consecutive three-game battles on three straight days.
Testing matches
Round 1
Sindhu prevailed in a marathon thriller for a winning return to the BWF Tour.
She was made to dig deep by Canada's Michelle Li, who she had a winning record against and had defeated in the 2022 Commonwealth Games final, the match where the injury issues struck.
Sindhu needed time to settle down and had to make several comebacks but went into extra time and crossed the line with a 20-22, 22-20, 21-19 win which took an hour and 20 minutes.
Ah, nothing like a good old grind! ��
Always happy to get a win in tricky, drifty conditions with a new team sitting behind me ❤️
And what makes it even more special is having a true legend of Indian badminton by my side, taking on a coaching assignment after 25 years just to... pic.twitter.com/EuCcPz1J69
- Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) March 6, 2024
Round 2
The task of recovering in time for a second straight day of play after a gruelling match was added to the list of challenges, as she took on Beiwen Zhang, who beat Carolina Marin in the first round.
Sindhu once again dropped the first game and had to fight back to beat the world No 10. 13-21, 21-10, 21-14 in 55 minutes. It was a more assured performance from her but up next was her biggest challenge yet - Olympic champion and second seed Chen Yu Fei.
Round 3
And in her toughest match since comeback, Sindhu showed how far she had come in this injury layoff with a performance so solid, a loss should not dishearten.
Against Chen, Sindhu not only faced a physical test of fitness but also a mental battle of tactics and quick thinking. She aced on both fronts, playing some sensational points, staying in long, lung-busting rallies, looking her attacking best and keeping her composure till the very end.
In the first game, the momentum swung wildly from 6-6 to Chen pulling ahead 12-6 before Sindhu clawed back to level and get the first game point. There was a superb, 45-shot rally where the Chinese player's defence kept her in and then gave her a game point of her own before the game went into extra time at 20-20.
The nerves on both players could be seen but it was Sindhu was edged ahead with a clever putaway close to the net and then a brilliant deceptive drop to seal it in 33 minutes.
The fightback from 6-12 down to 24-22 showcased the best of Sindhu as we knew her - quick footwork, moving around and defending to force errors, attacking when the chance came and smart shot selection that frustrated her opponent no end.
The change of ends saw a confident start from the Indian and a few more wonderful winning shots. Unfortunately, they were interspersed with errors as she tried to kill points and then let slip a lead against a world class player like Chen. She managed to reduce the lead and level at 13-13 before the Olympic champion went on a run to force a decider.
Reigning champion Chen Yu Fei ���� and Pusarla V. Sindhu ���� go the distance.#BWFWorldTour #FrenchOpen2024 pic.twitter.com/FoJemz1Isa
- BWF (@bwfmedia) March 8, 2024
The third game was close, even as Sindhu's physicality seemed to drop a little. But she tried to keep pace throughout, attacking and wrong-footing Chen around, not shying away from a body shot when needed. The start of this game was much closer with only a 1-point lead to Chen at the interval. But the gap mounted soon as the longer rallies started ending in errors and Chen's defence was near perfect as the finish line neared.
Sindhu made one final push towards the end, reducing the gap to just 17-19 and then saving the first match point with a smash straight at Chen. But a long, all-court rally saw her hit wide and the game end on an attacking error.
After 92 minutes of entertaining badminton, there was one actual winner and another who should think of this as a win.
What next for Sindhu?
Next week, the tour goes to Birmingham for the prestigious All England Championship, a Super 1000. She faces a tougher draw there, with a possible encounter with world No 1 An Seyoung in the second round, a player she has never beaten before.
But before that possible mountain, she has laid a great foundation with a good week. If she can carry this momentum with her, Sindhu will be confident of a good European season and point accumulation to get back into the Top 10.
For now, the Paris test event has given her, and those watching, a belief that the Sindhu we know is on a positive comeback trail on the path to the Olympics.