Nguyen Thuy Linh defeats former champion in first round of India Open

On the afternoon of January 14, Vietnam’s top female badminton player Nguyen Thuy Linh came from behind to defeat former world champion Pusarla Venkata Sindhu 2–1 in the first round of the India Open Badminton 2026.

Nguyen Thuy Linh claims her third straight win over former world champion Pusarla Venkata Sindhu. Photo courtesy of thethao247

The India Open marks Nguyen Thuy Linh’s first tournament of the 2026 season. Unseeded and currently ranking world No. 23, Nguyen Thuy Linh found herself in a tough section of the draw featuring several higher-ranked opponents.

In her opening match, Thuy Linh faced a significant challenge against home player Pusarla Sindhu (PV Sindhu), 30, India’s top-ranked player and world No. 12, who claimed the world championship title in 2019.

After allowing Sindhu to take the early lead in the first game, the Dong Nai native fought back tenaciously and turned the match into a point-by-point battle in the closing stages. She even held a set point but was unable to capitalize, allowing the home player to win three straight points and seal the opening game 22–20.

Thuy Linh raised her level in the second game, repeatedly putting Sindhu under pressure, capitalizing on her opponent’s errors to get scores. The Vietnamese No. 1 scored repeatedly to widen the gap and secure a 21–12 victory, taking the match to a deciding third set.

In the deciding third game, Thuy Linh and Sindhu showed strong determination and remained locked in a tight contest through the first half. However, the Dong Nai player gradually gained the upper hand as Sindhu began to fade. From 13–13, Thuy Linh pulled away to 16–13 before sealing the game 21–15 to complete a 2–1 victory after one hour and eight minutes of play. It marked Nguyen Thuy Linh’s third straight win over Sindhu, following her two victories in 2025 at the Indonesia Masters and Malaysia Masters.

In the second round, Thuy Linh will face China’s Wang Zhiyi, the current world No. 2.

The India Open Badminton 2026, a Super 750 event, is being held in New Delhi from January 13 to 18, with a total prize purse of USD 950,000 (approximately VND 25 billion).

By Huy Anh – Translated by Thu Hien, Minho