Asian Games, badminton: India's PV Sindhu advances; Lakshya Sen ousted
What's the story
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu made it to the Round of 16 at the ongoing 2026 Asian Games. She achieved this feat by defeating Chinese Taipei's Chiu Pin-chian in straight sets on Saturday. The match was played at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium and ended with scores of 21-19, 21-14 in favor of Sindhu. This win comes as a major boost for Sindhu, who is a two-time Asian Games medalist and an Olympic double medallist.
Match details
Here's how the match panned out
Despite trailing at one point in the first game, Sindhu managed to turn things around and take the lead.
She lost two game points but eventually clinched the opener on her third game point, taking a 1-0 lead.
The Olympic double medallist then settled into a rhythm in the second game, leading 11-7 at one point before finishing it off with a score of 21-14.
Upcoming match
Sindhu aims for a medal at this year's Asian Games
Sindhu will now face Japan's Tomoka Miyazaki in the Round of 16.
This comes after India lost to Japan in the women's team quarter-finals at the ongoing Games.
The ace shuttler is also hoping to win a medal at this year's Asiad, having returned empty-handed from the Hangzhou Games where she was knocked out in women's singles quarter-finals.
Other matches
Unnati Hooda and Ayush Shetty also progress
In other matches, Unnati Hooda defeated Malaysia's Wong Ling Ching in the second round with scores of 21-14, 20-22, 21-9. She will now take on Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani in the Round of 16.
Meanwhile, Ayush Shetty beat Kazakhstan's Makhsut Tajibullayev in his second-round match with a score of 21-7, 21-7. He will face Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Chen next.
Sen
Lakshya Sen crashes out in men's singles
Earlier on Saturday, former world champion Loh Kean Yew navigated a tricky opening tie, defeating India's Lakshya Sen in the men's singles round of 32.
At the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, world number 13 Yew beat world-ranked 14 Sen 21-12, 15-21, 21-14 in 65 minutes.
Both players had earlier received a bye in the previous round.