The Indian shuttler continued her impressive run following a runner-up finish at the French Open, defeating France’s Rosy Oktavia Pancasari in just 26 minutes. Anmol Kharb also produced a major upset, while Unnati Hooda secured her place in the quarterfinals to set up an all-Indian clash.
PV Sindhu continued her push for the Hylo Open 2026 title with a commanding straight-game victory over Rosy Oktavia Pancasari in the women’s singles Round of 16 in Saarbrücken, Germany, on Thursday. The second-seeded Indian needed just 26 minutes to register a 21-9, 21-6 win and book her place in the quarterfinals.
Coming into the BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament on the back of a runner-up finish at the French Open Super 750, Sindhu has carried her momentum into Germany. Although she fell short against South Korea’s World No. 1 An Se-young in the French Open final, her performances in recent tournaments have offered encouraging signs as she looks to build consistency on the international circuit.
Against Pancasari, the two-time Olympic medallist was in control from the opening exchanges. Sindhu dictated the pace, moved her opponent around the court and capitalised on opportunities to take the first game comfortably at 21-9.
The second game was even more one-sided. Sindhu maintained her attacking intensity and gave Pancasari little room to settle into the contest, closing out the match 21-6. She won 42 of the 57 points played, underlining her dominance throughout the encounter. The victory sets up a quarterfinal meeting against Denmark’s Amalie Schulz. Sindhu will look to carry the same level of control into the last-eight contest as she targets a place in the semifinals.
While Sindhu delivered a routine victory, the standout performance of the day came from India’s teenage shuttler Anmol Kharb, who produced a spirited comeback to defeat Denmark’s third seed Line Christophersen. The 19-year-old, ranked World No. 53, recovered from losing the opening game 11-21 to claim the next two games 21-18, 25-23. The contest lasted 63 minutes and tested Kharb’s composure, particularly in a tense deciding game.
Trailing 18-20 in the third game, Kharb faced two match points but held her nerve to turn the contest around and complete one of the biggest victories of her career. The win against the World No. 12 Danish shuttler was a significant result for the young Indian, who has been working to establish herself on the senior international circuit.
Kharb’s reward is an all-Indian quarterfinal against Unnati Hooda, who also progressed with a straight-game victory over Denmark’s Frederikke Ostergaard. Hooda registered a 21-11, 21-19 win to secure her place in the last eight. The matchup guarantees India a representative in the women’s singles semifinals, regardless of the outcome. It also presents an important opportunity for both young players to make a deeper impact at the Super 500 event.
It was not an entirely successful day for the Indian women’s singles contingent. Malvika Bansod’s campaign came to an end after she suffered an 11-21, 17-21 defeat against Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang. Bansod struggled to match her opponent’s intensity in the opening game and, despite showing greater resistance in the second, could not force a decider. Isharani Baruah also bowed out after losing 14-21, 19-21 to Denmark’s eighth seed Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt.
With Sindhu, Kharb and Hooda progressing, India will have three representatives in the women’s singles quarterfinals. The results offer a mix of experience and emerging talent as the tournament enters its decisive stages. Sindhu’s emphatic victory is an encouraging continuation of her recent form. After reaching the French Open final, she has arrived at the Hylo Open with confidence and is showing the kind of control needed to challenge for another major title. Her experience will be crucial as the competition gets tougher in the knockout rounds.
However, the bigger takeaway for Indian badminton is the performance of Anmol Kharb and Unnati Hooda. Kharb’s comeback against a top-15 opponent demonstrated her fighting ability, while Hooda’s composed win ensured that India would have at least one women’s singles semifinalist. For India, the Hylo Open is becoming more than just another tournament appearance. It is an opportunity to assess the progress of its next generation while relying on an established champion to lead the charge.
