Indian badminton star P. V. Sindhu continued her impressive run of form with a commanding victory at the Hylo Open 2026, comfortably advancing to the women’s singles quarterfinals in Saarbrücken, Germany, on Thursday.
The second-seeded Indian needed less than 30 minutes to defeat France’s Rosy Oktavia Pancasari in straight games, winning 21-9, 21-6 in a one-sided Round of 16 encounter.
Sindhu controlled the contest from the opening exchanges, giving her opponent little opportunity to build momentum. Her dominant display ensured a smooth passage into the last eight of the Super 500 tournament.
The two-time Olympic medallist will now face Denmark’s Amalie Schulz in the quarterfinals as she looks to continue her pursuit of the title.
Sindhu arrived in Germany following an encouraging campaign at the French Open Super 750, where she finished runner-up after losing to World No. 1 An Se-young in the final.
Her latest victory underlined her strong form as she aims to build on that performance with another deep tournament run.
Meanwhile, rising Indian talent Anmol Kharb produced one of the day’s most impressive comebacks to secure her own quarterfinal berth.
The 19-year-old overcame higher-seeded Danish opponent Line Christophersen in a thrilling three-game battle lasting one hour and three minutes.
Kharb endured a difficult start, losing the opening game 11-21 as Christophersen established early control.
However, the Indian youngster responded strongly in the second game, showing determination to claim it 21-18 and force a decider.
The final game developed into a tense contest, with both players fighting for every point. Kharb eventually held her nerve during the crucial moments to seal a dramatic 25-23 victory.
Her hard-fought win has set up an exciting all-Indian quarterfinal against compatriot Unnati Hooda, guaranteeing India at least one representative in the women’s singles semifinals.
The encounter will also provide both young players with an important opportunity to progress further in the prestigious competition.
However, it was not a perfect day for the Indian contingent.
Malvika Bansod’s campaign came to an end in the Round of 16 after she suffered a straight-game defeat against Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang.
Bansod struggled to match her opponent in the opening game, losing 11-21, before offering stronger resistance in the second. Despite her efforts, Zhang secured the match with a 21-17 victory.
With Sindhu, Kharb and Hooda progressing, India remains strongly represented in the women’s singles draw.
Attention will now turn to the quarterfinals, where Sindhu will aim to maintain her dominant form while Kharb and Hooda battle for a place in the last four.
