Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu easily defeated Fatima Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq of Maldives, winning 21-9, 21-6 in a women’s singles Group M match at the La Chapelle Arena on Sunday. Sindhu, starting her third Olympic journey, finished the match in just 29 minutes. Her skill level was clearly higher than her opponent’s, as shown by the score.
Sindhu used a variety of shots that confused Fatima. Despite a few mistakes, Fatima couldn’t take advantage and lost the first game in 13 minutes. The second game was similar, with Fatima unable to handle Sindhu’s play, allowing Sindhu to win easily.
“It was a good start, and I was getting used to the court and the atmosphere. My playing style hasn’t changed much, but there are some improvements. I was injured at first, so I wasn’t moving well on the court. We worked on that, and on my strokes, because at a big tournament, you need to be at your best in every stroke and movement,” said Sindhu, who is being coached by the legendary Prakash Padukone. Sindhu will play Estonia’s Kristin Kuuba in her next match on Wednesday.