New Delhi: Former winner PV Sindhu began her latest World Championships campaign emphatically, brushing aside Ireland’s Sophia Noble 21-7, 21-11 in just 29 minutes in the 2026 edition at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Monday to move into the women’s singles Round of 32.
The fifth-seeded Irish debutant, ranked 141st in the world, found herself under pressure almost immediately against the World No. 9. Sindhu, who raced through the opening exchanges and established an 8-0 advantage before Noble could settle into the contest.
The gulf in experience was evident as the 31-year-old Sindhu, who won the World Championship in 2019 in Basel, controlled the rallies and kept the 21-year-old Irishwoman from building any sustained momentum.
Noble eventually opened her account, but the early damage had already put the opening game firmly in Sindhu’s grasp, with the Indian closing it out 21-7.
Noble returned for the second game with greater composure and managed to stay within striking distance through the first half. She went into the interval only three points behind the Indian, offering signs that the contest could become more competitive.
Sindhu, however, quickly stamped her authority back on the game.
The Indian shifted gears after the interval, winning 10 of the next 13 points to pull decisively away and leave Noble with no route back into the contest. The 31-year-old Indian, who won silver in 2016 and bronze in the 2020 editions of the Olympic Games, completed a straightforward 21-11 second-game win to wrap up her 10th World Championships campaign with an assured opening performance.
For Noble, the match marked her first appearance at the World Championships. Sindhu, by contrast, arrived with five medals from the event already on her résumé and the experience of having been a world champion.
The Indian will now face a more demanding test in the Round of 32, where she will meet Canada’s World No. 49 Wen Yu Zhang.
Sindhu was one of three Indian winners on the opening day so far.
Earlier, top women’s doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also advanced in women’s doubles after defeating Spain’s Paula Lopez and Lucia Rodriguez 21-9, 21-13. The Indian pair will next face the 16th-seeded American combination of Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee.
M. R. Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan also progressed in men’s doubles, although their opening-round match ended prematurely. The Indian duo was leading Ireland’s Scott Guildea and Paul Reynolds 21-16, 6-4 when the Irish pair withdrew with an injury. Their next challenge will come against the 15th-seeded Korean pair of Kang Min Hyuk and Ki Dong Ju.
(IANS)
