Sindhu and Lakshya Sen win the Hylo Open singles titles in Saarbrucken
Both Indians won their finals in straight games on Sunday, with Sen ending a title drought that had lasted since last year.
The Global Sun Desk ·
P V Sindhu and Lakshya Sen took the women's and men's singles crowns at the Super 500 Hylo Open in Saarbrucken, Germany, on Sunday, 1 November, each winning in straight games. It was Sen's first title since the Australia Open last season, and it added to Sindhu's Japan Open win in July.
Sindhu in control
The double Olympic medallist beat Denmark's Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt, the eighth seed and world No. 25, 21-12, 21-14 in a final that lasted 39 minutes, The Hindu reported. Sindhu, who took the Japan Open in July, had finished as runner-up at the French Open the week before.
The win earned her 9,200 ranking points and moves her closer to a berth at the season-ending World Tour Finals. The Hindu lists her as world No. 8, and The Indian Express reported that she will rise to world No. 6 next week.
"It was important for me to give my 100% irrespective of who the opponent was," Sindhu said after the match, adding that she had taken the lead from the start and given her opponent no chance. She said her team had lifted her through low days, and that there was "still room to improve". Asked whether she had returned to top form, she replied "definitely yes".
Sen ends a drought
Later in the day Sen, the world No. 14, beat Indonesia's Jonatan Christie 21-17, 21-10. The Indian Express said Sen had the game under control early in the first game and then went through a familiar lull before sealing it, while Christie, the world No. 6, struggled to find his range at the net and on the lines.
It was Sen's seventh career title and his first since the Australia Open last season. He had also won the Hylo Open in 2021. Christie had led their head-to-head 4-3 before the final, the paper said, though Sen beat him at the Olympics.
Sen's season had been rough: eight first-round defeats followed his run to the All England final. "Couple of first-round losses really plays with your confidence," he said. He said the way he played from the first round in Saarbrucken had restored his belief, and that his last two matches, including a semi-final win over Toma Junior Popov, were against high-quality opponents.
What they said
Sindhu said the title gave her "a lot of boost" and confidence, and that things were going according to plan. She said she now wanted to go back and celebrate after what she called two amazing weeks.
Sen said he was glad to have won again after such a long gap, and that the result came from playing steadily from the first round. The two wins came within a few hours of each other on the final day in Saarbrucken.