New Delhi: India’s star badminton player PV Sindhu has qualified for the BWF World Tour Finals. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirmed this on Wednesday. This year’s tournament will be held in Hangzhou, China from December 9 to 13.
In addition to Sindhu, South Korea’s An Se Young, Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, and China’s Wang Zi Yi and Chen Yu Fei have also secured their places in this prestigious tournament.
Sindhu to participate in the tournament for the sixth time
PV Sindhu will participate in the BWF World Tour Finals for the sixth time in her career. She last played in this tournament in 2021. However, she qualified for 2022 as well, but had to withdraw due to injury.
This tournament, held in years other than Thomas Cup years, features the top eight players or pairs in the year-end world rankings.
Five players have already secured their places in the women’s singles category. These include Tomoka Miyazaki and Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, Ratchanok Intanon and Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand, and Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia. Denmark’s Line Christophersen is also in the race for qualification. The competition for the remaining three spots is ongoing.
Sindhu won the title in 2018
PV Sindhu is the only Indian player to win the women’s singles title at this tournament. She achieved this feat in 2018 by defeating Nozomi Okuhara of Japan. Sindhu is also the 2019 World Champion.
Her recent victory at the Hylo Open proved crucial in her qualification. Winning the title at this Super 500 tournament earned Sindhu 9,200 ranking points, lifting her two spots to sixth in the latest BWF world rankings.
Sindhu wins two major titles this year
The Hylo Open was Sindhu’s second BWF World Tour title this year. She previously won the Japan Open Super 750 title in July. This was her first individual title since December 2024. She now has a total of seven BWF World Tour titles.
Before winning the Hylo Open, Sindhu reached the final of the French Open, but lost to world number one and reigning Olympic and world champion An Se Young of South Korea.
This is the first season since 2022 that Sindhu has won two BWF World Tour titles in the same year.
Days after her Hylo Open title win, Sindhu decided to withdraw from the Korea Open and Japan Masters to rest and focus on her fitness. She will now be eyeing a good performance at the BWF World Tour Finals in December.