Slow Start, Strong Finish: PV Sindhu Defeated Sung Shuo Yun At Malaysia Open

In a twist of fate, PV Sindhu found herself up against Chinese Taipei’s Sung Shuo Yun to kick off her season for the second consecutive year.

Match Summary

Sindhu was returning to the court after a lengthy absence. She was obviously a little rusty when she fell behind 1-7 at the beginning of the game.

However, Sindhu quickly shook off that rust and ramped up the pressure on Sung, showcasing glimpses of her top-notch attacking style and solid defense when needed, ultimately winning 21-13, 22-20 in 51 minutes at the Malaysia Open Super 1000 in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday(January 7, 2026).

Building on her strong start, there was a lengthy 22-shot rally won by Sung, bringing the score to 8-4.

At that moment, it seemed like Sindhu was finding her rhythm in terms of movement and shot quality, even though she lost that point. It turned out to be true as the Indian swiftly took the next two points with her power.

A couple of impressive forehand smashes down the line brought the score to 9-9, and it was clear that Sindhu was beginning to control the pace of the game rather than just reacting.

A good indicator of Sindhu’s rhythm is how effectively she executes the round-the-head forehand crosscourt smash, and it was that very shot that gave her an 11-9 lead at the mid-game break.

Right after the break, Sung called for a rally where she maneuvered Sindhu around in defense, and this time, she managed to handle the pressure and executed a smash for 12-9.

Sindhu’s consecutive points climbed to 10 with another stunning crosscourt forehand winner, making it 16-9.

The first game was won with a masterfully deceptive backhand drive that held the racket head back just a moment longer and sent it flat into Sung’s forehand corner, but the comeback was driven by Sindhu’s legendary raw power.

Sung kicked off the second game strong again, showcasing a wonderfully skillful backhand at the frontcourt that saw the shuttle barely touch the top of the net and drop flat on the other side for a 3-1 lead.

A lovely change of pace from Sindhu allowed her to edge ahead 7-6, as she mixed her smashes with a half-sliced drop shot.

At this stage, the match was much more balanced as Sung brought a lot more defensive stability to the rallies, making Sindhu work extra hard to find openings.

A couple of solid body attacks gave Sindhu a comfortable 11-8 lead at the mid-game break.

It seemed like the fight was fading from Sung as Sindhu pulled ahead 14-9, but the Taipei player found a second wind, playing with more creativity as the match was slipping away, leveling it at 15-15.

The match’s high point then occurred when both players skillfully used crosscourt blocks to draw each other in and create imbalances in their court positions. Following a taxing exchange, Sindhu executed a deft half smash that floored Sung.

This moment sparked the first big fist pump of the day from Sindhu.

There was quite a bit of drama at the end when Sindhu could have been ahead 20-17 after what looked like a fantastic crosscourt winner at the net.

Sung made a smart review, and just like that, it was 19-19.

Sindhu was hurrying her shots, wanting to wrap up the match in straight games.

In the end, she kept her cool and converted her second match point on a day when she checked off most of the early-season goals.