P.V. Sindhu advances to Arctic Open semifinals with hard-fought victory over Nguyen

Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu showcased her resilient spirit as she fought back from a first-game deficit in a grueling 91-minute match against Vietnam's Thuy Linh Nguyen to secure a place in the semifinals of the Arctic Open Super 500 tournament.

The eighth-seeded Indian, facing the unseeded world No. 26 Nguyen, emerged victorious with a score of 20-22, 22-20, 21-18. This win put an end to Nguyen's four-match winning streak and demonstrated Sindhu's determination.

Striving to find her form ahead of the Paris Olympics, Sindhu will face fifth seed and world No. 11 Wang Zhi Yi of China in her pursuit of her first BWF title of the season.

This victory marked Sindhu's fourth semifinal appearance on the BWF World Tour in the current year. Her previous semifinal appearances include the Spain Masters (where she was a finalist), Malaysia Masters, and Canada Open.

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In the other women's singles semifinal, Chinese third seed and world No. 9 Han Yue will take on Thailand's Pornpawee Chochuwong.

Sindhu is the sole Indian remaining in the tournament, as Kiran George, Srikanth Kidambi, Aakarshi Kashyap, and the duo of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto exited after reaching the last 16 on Thursday.

A grueling battle of resilience

Sindhu, who started the match strongly, found herself trailing 14-18 in the first game but ultimately lost it 20-22. In the second game, she displayed her fighting spirit by securing six consecutive points, with Nguyen trying to make a comeback.

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The third game was a thrilling showdown where Sindhu regained her fighting form. She raced to a 20-15 lead and secured the match in one hour and 31 minutes, overcoming Nguyen's late fight-back.

PV Sindhu's impressive victory in the Arctic Open has propelled her into the semifinals, bringing her closer to adding another title to her illustrious badminton career.