The look on the face of Thuy Linh Nguyen when she heard she was to face Pusarla V. Sindhu in the first round of the YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2026 was that of surprise.

But after a 68-minute contest at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex on Wednesday, she had a more assured presence moving past her illustrious opponent 20-22 21-12 21-15. The win now her third straight triumph over the former world champion and multiple Olympic medallist for a 3-2 head-to-head lead.

“Sindhu had a good performance last week in Malaysia so when I got to know that I will be playing her this week I thought ‘oh, my God’, as she had just got to a Super 1000 semifinal,” she said. “I wasn’t thinking too much. I knew she would play a lot of attacking shots. And I would have to block.”

Her defensive game not only helped her stay in points against Pusarla, but also forced the local favourite into errors, a part critical in deciding this game. “In terms of tricky players, she has good skill and it’s not about just skill, but they make you play longer rallies,” was Sindhu’s assessment.

After a strong 2025 that saw her break into the world’s top 20 in the women’s singles, Nguyen had to cut short her season after the Australian Open. For Vietnam’s top-ranked badminton player, remaining fit on tour remains paramount.

“I think when I came here, I wasn’t thinking too much because I had already stopped for about two or three months on tour so I didn’t really have a target (for this competition). I just wanted to try my best when on court.”

In a year that includes the BWF World Championships 2026 (also in India) as well as the Asian Games, managing a busy schedule is high on her agenda. “I’m always travelling alone, so it’s not that easy. I am just trying to maintain my fitness and not get injured.”

→ Results (Day 2)

→ Order of Play (Day 3)

WHAT OTHERS SAID

“My body is a little bit tired but I’m so happy to win once again. I just focus on my game and I want to do my best everyday, that’s my strength. I want to win again and become champion.” – An Se Young on what drives her to be at her best at every competition.

“This year I just want to play and take one match at a time and not think about too many things. I just want to focus on myself. I need good sleep and good food.” – Chen Yu Fei on her plans in 2026 and what she does to relax after a game.

“I haven’t set any concrete goals in terms of results yet (in 2026). I’m currently in a testing phase, focusing on getting my performance back to its previous level first and then figuring out where I can go from there.” – Nozomi Okuhara after her first round defeat to world No. 1 An Se Young.