KUCHING: Wong Ling Ching pushed India’s former world No. 2 P. V. Sindhu to the brink before falling in a hard-fought three-set Round of 32 clash at the Ningbo Badminton Asia Championships (BAC) in China today (April 8).
The Miri-born shuttler made a bright start, taking the opening game 21-15 with a composed and confident display against the higher-ranked opponent.
Sindhu, however, responded strongly in the second game, capitalising on a string of unforced errors from the world no. 38 shuttler to take it 21-11 and force a decider.
The third set saw Sindhu seize the early initiative, but Ling Ching showed resilience to claw her way back and level the contest in a tense, point-for-point battle. The Indian shuttler eventually held her nerve to edge the match 21-19 and advance to the Round of 16.
It was their second meeting, with Sindhu having also prevailed in their previous encounter at the 2023 Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships.
Although the result may not have gone her way, the Sarawakian shuttler continues to show steady growth in both temperament and game awareness, with her ability to absorb pressure and challenge higher-ranked opponents reflecting a maturing profile that points towards a promising future on the international stage.
In the other BAC news, men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao bowed out after a 21-13, 21-8 defeat to Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie in 36 minutes earlier.
Malaysia took the first win of the day in the men’s doubles department, after national top pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik secured a 21-15, 21-15 win over Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Hsiang Chieh-Wang Chi Lin to progress.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Junaidi Arif-Roy King Yap were edged in a closely contested match by Taiwan’s Lee Fang-Chih-Lee Fang-Jen.
The Asia Championships is currently on-going from April 7 to 12.
