P.V. Sindhu will take a break from the international badminton circuit after winning the Hylo Open Super 500 title in Germany, withdrawing from the Korea Open and Japan Masters following a demanding run of tournaments.
The double Olympic medallist will miss the Korea Open, scheduled from November 3 to 8, and the Japan Masters from November 10 to 15. Her decision comes a day after she defeated Denmark’s Line Højmark Kjaersfeldt in straight games to claim the women’s singles crown in Saarbrücken on Sunday.
Sindhu signed off from the Hylo Open with a commanding 21-12, 21-14 victory in a 39-minute final. The win delivered her second BWF World Tour title of the season, following her Japan Open triumph in July, and came after she finished runner-up at the French Open last week. The Indian has now reached three finals in 2026, winning two of them.
The former world champion controlled the final through precise strokeplay, court coverage and an ability to dictate the pace of the rallies. Kjaersfeldt, the world No. 25 and eighth seed, struggled to disrupt Sindhu’s rhythm as the Indian built a lead in both games and closed out the match without allowing the contest to stretch.
Sindhu’s victory also completed a memorable Indian double at the Hylo Open. Lakshya Sen won the men’s singles title, defeating Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie in the final. The results gave India both singles crowns at the Super 500 tournament.
Sindhu’s decision to skip the next two tournaments follows a packed schedule that included the French Open final and the Hylo Open title run. Her withdrawal means she will not compete at the Korea Open, which begins in Yeosu on Tuesday, or the Japan Masters the following week.
With Sindhu and Lakshya Sen absent from the Korea Open, India’s singles challenge will be led by experienced shuttler H.S. Prannoy and emerging talent Tanvi Sharma. The tournament is a USD 500,000 BWF World Tour Super 500 event.
Sindhu’s decision to step away after a title-winning week places the focus on managing her schedule as much as maintaining form. The Hylo Open victory reinforced her ability to compete deep into major tournaments, while the break gives her time to recover after consecutive finals and preserve momentum for the remainder of the season.
