PV Sindhu, the two-time Olympic medallist and Indian badminton star, kicked off her Paris Olympics campaign in spectacular fashion by defeating Maldives’ Fathimath Abdul Razzaq in straight games during their women’s singles group stage match on Sunday.

The match, held in Group M, highlighted Sindhu’s superiority as she swiftly dispatched her opponent 21-9, 21-6 in just 29 minutes. From the onset, Sindhu demonstrated her prowess, quickly seizing control after a couple of initial errors and storming to an 11-4 lead in the first game.

Fathimath Abdul Razzaq, ranked 111th in the world, struggled to match Sindhu’s pace and precision throughout the match. Despite a brief resurgence in the second game where Razzaq narrowed the gap to 3-4, Sindhu promptly reasserted her dominance, widening the lead to 10-3 and ultimately clinching victory with a decisive 21-6 finish.

With 14 match points at her disposal, Sindhu needed only one to secure the win, showcasing her efficiency and determination on the court. The victory sets a promising tone for Sindhu’s quest for a third Olympic medal, having won silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020.

Looking ahead, the 10th seeded Sindhu is scheduled to face World No. 75 Kristin Kuuba from Estonia in her next group match scheduled for Wednesday.