Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has dropped three spots to No. 15 in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings for women’s singles. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, has experienced a significant decline in her ranking since the beginning of this year.
Sindhu started the 2023 season ranked seventh in the world but fell out of the top 10 in April. In April 2017, she reached her career-best position of No. 2 in the world. However, she has struggled with her form this season after returning from a prolonged injury layoff.
The 27-year-old made her comeback at the Malaysian Open and Indian Open earlier this year but suffered first-round exits from both tournaments. Sindhu has failed to progress past the second round in any of the other seven BWF World Tour events she has participated in this year, except for the Madrid Masters, where she reached the final, and a top-four finish at the Malaysia Masters.
In the women’s singles category, Sindhu’s fellow Olympic medalist Saina Nehwal remains at the 30th position, with Aakarshi Kashyap (42), Ashmita Chaliha (44), and Malvika Bansod (46) closely behind.
On the men’s side, HS Prannoy, who won his first BWF World Tour title at the Malaysia Masters in May, continues to be India’s highest-ranked male singles player. He is currently placed eighth in the world rankings. Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth is currently ranked 20th, slightly behind Lakshya Sen.
In men’s doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty maintain their third-place ranking. However, in women’s doubles, Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly have dropped to No. 17.
Rohan Kapoor and N Sikki Reddy are the best-ranked Indian pair in mixed doubles, currently positioned at No. 33 in the world.
While Sindhu’s decline in the rankings is disappointing, it is important to remember that rankings are not always indicative of a player’s true ability. Badminton is a highly competitive sport, and even small fluctuations in rankings can occur due to various factors, including injuries, form, and competition strength.
Sindhu will now be looking to regroup and focus on her upcoming tournaments with the aim of reclaiming her position among the top-ranked players in the world. With her talent and determination, it is just a matter of time before she bounces back stronger.
