PV Sindhu has reached her career-best No. 7 in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) women’s singles rankings, on the back of glittering performances in China Open and Hong Kong Open in November.
Rio Olympics silver medallist Sindhu clinched her maiden Super Series title in China and followed that with up with a runners-up finish at the Hong Kong Open. This has helped her gain two spots to the seventh spot. This had also ensured her participation in the year-ending BWF Super Series Final in Dubai from December 14 to 18, where only the top-8 shuttlers in the world get entry.
On a day when she bowed out of the Macau Open despite being the top seed, there was some good news Saina Nehwal as well. The London Olympics bronze medallist climbed her way back to the top-10. She rose one spot to the No.10 position, after her quarter-final run in Hong Kong, as her road to recovery after knee surgery continues.
There was more good news for the Indian contingent with Sameer Verma jumping 13 spots to his career-best No. 30 after a runner-up finish at the Hong Kong Open, where he defeated World No. 3 Jan O Jorgensen in the semi-final. Kidambi Srikanth fell one spot to No. 13 and Ajay Jayaram stayed put at 19 — making it three Indians in the top 30 men among the world.
The women’s singles rankings saw a new World No. 1 with Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying, who defeated Sindhu in the Hong Kong Open final, clinching the top spot. Rio gold medallist Carolina Marin of Spain dropped to No. 2 position while Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon fell by one spot to No. 3.