PV Sindhu’s Han Yue decimation previews a 15-point format built for her

4 min readUpdated: Jul 16, 2026 05:57 PM IST

Set to be rolled in next season, the 15x3 is a godsend for most attacking Indians, none more than Sindhu who is looming large literally over the present Top 9 bunch. (BWF/Badminton Photo)

PV Sindhu would’ve drubbed the hapless Chinese fifth seed Han Yue, 15-11, 15-7 had the Super 750 Japan Open been operating on the format of the future. Set to be rolled in next season, the 15×3 is a godsend for most attacking Indians, none more than the Indian who’s looming large literally over the present Top 9 bunch.

As such, the World No 10 dismissed the weakest Chinese she’s played, Han, 21-16, 21-14 to make quarterfinals in what will be a tantalizing clash with Nozomi Okuhara. Sindhu now leads Han 8-1, so the Chinese runner has always been a punching bag for the Indian. But it is in the manner of how Sindhu went about decimating the 26-year-old that offers pointers to how Sindhu will approach the 15×3. She switches on an attacking window at the 7-point mark and then runs with it.

The women’s singles elite, beyond the top 4 of An Se-young, Wang Zhi Yi, Akane Yamaguchi and Chen Yufei is the weakest it has been. There’s Han, Putri Wardani, Ratchanok, Chochuwong and Miyazaki, none of whom are placed too well to parry a belligerent attack from Sindhu which starts from Point 7 and goes ballistic to comfortably land in a leading situation at 13 or 14. Sindhu’s Achilles heel of clamming at the finish, is thus addressed because she builds herself a cushion. In the 21×3, opponents could use her building nervousness from 17 point onwards to leapfrog her. In the 15, she’s dialled in during the offensive window, and not vulnerable.

Against Han, Sindhu judged in the early passage of play – figuring that the Chinese was going for a single scheme: make Sindhu twist going for the backhand. It took the Chinese to leading 6-3. Then Sindhu had had enough.

Sindhu’s Achilles heel of clamming at the finish, is addressed because she builds herself a cushion. (BWF/Badminton Photo)

Her understated lateral movement allows her to turn the backhand trap into a forehand adjustment. So she simply moved left, got under the shuttle and went for the expansive wide smash, punishing Han, reaching 7-7.

Sindhu then went attacking Han’s backhand with whippy pushes to the back and drops next to the net. A backhand lob landed in the corner pocket to get her to 11-8.

The knowledge that she would need to sustain a scorching attack pace for fewer points gave Sindhu the confidence to play freely at the net. Sindhu’s net is another improvement in her 3.0 version. Due to her height, she plays from much further than others at the net and the loopy popping tumbles get the job done. The Top 4 might play it tight in an eyeball confrontation, but most others simply wilt.

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A body smash on Han’s shoulder at 14-10 was the peak of Sindhu’s offensive. She reached 15-11, when the typical Sindhu crumble starts. Sure enough the lead was down to 1 point at 17-16. But Sindhu kept at it, at the net to take the next 4 points.

In the second set, Sindhu was emboldened even further playing against the drift. With her power she can hit through opponents, and the drift ensures the shuttle doesn’t blow off bounds. Against Han, it got a little ridiculous as Sindhu led 8-0. She had her quasi-win at 15-7. And then gallivanted to winning 21-14 in 35 minutes.

Okuhara next

The rivalry is storied. And the quarterfinal clash came about as An Se-young withdrew from injury, conceding against Nozomi Okuhara.

Sindhu defeated Okuhara in a near-80-minute humdinger last June. But the real essence of the rivalry between the two close friends, is in how it’s equal. Even after the two traded literal World Championship crown, they have gone 2-2 in the next 4 matches since the storming of Basel in 2019, though Sindhu leads 11-9.

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Okuhara has won Orleans, made semis at Australia, Swiss and Indonesia Masters, but not made deep inroads in Super 750+ meets.

Sindhu has semis at Malaysia and Australia, and is on her 6th quarterfinal from 10 tournaments, which is mid-consistent, as consistency goes. The Indian starts as favourite against her fellow 31-year-old.

In football season, badminton perhaps needs the two stubborn veterans, ranked World No 10 and 11, to have a go at each other, to ring a bell. Sindhu vs Nozomi will oblige.

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Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball.

Professional Profile

Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express.

Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics.

Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium.

Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025)

Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond:

Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style.

PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps.

The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals.

Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas.

Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes.

Notable Recent Articles

BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025)

The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025)

Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025)

Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025)

Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025)

Other Sports Interests

Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts.

You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More

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