PV Sindhu played three singles matches in a space of 18 hours, before suffering a quarterfinal exit at the Asian Games.

Published on: Sep 28, 2026, 07:51:19 IST

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Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu on Sunday flagged the gruelling badminton schedule at the Asian Games following her heartbreaking quarterfinal exit, as she missed the chance to add to her Asian Games medal haul of bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Sindhu expressed regret for failing to close out the second game against China's Chen Yufei, after taking the opening game, and for being three points away from sealing the match. Sindhu eventually lost 21-11, 18-21, 10-21.

“I needed a little time to put this into words. My Asian Games campaign is over, and I’m hurting. Three points from closing out that quarterfinal. I keep coming back to those three points. Like in China, long, demanding rallies at the most critical moments turned the match. I had my chance. Letting it slip hurts,” she wrote.

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Sindhu was scheduled to play two matches on Saturday, with her second match ending after midnight at 1am. She then returned to the court at 1:30pm on Sunday for her quarterfinal against Chen. The 31-year-old admitted that the demanding schedule had taken a toll.

“Three matches in 18 hours. Back at 3 a.m., out again at 8:30 a.m. It took a toll. But after a camp that gave me every reason to believe, I wanted so much more. My team and I are already working on closing out those moments. We will fix it,” she added.

Speaking to reporters earlier on Sunday, Sindhu had also criticised the scheduling for the singles badminton event when asked if she had previously played two matches in a day at a major championship.

“Not really, because the scheduling was not really well organised is what I feel,” Sindhu said.

“We literally slept really late and then coming back in the morning (on Sunday), playing two matches in a day. Recovery is the most important priority.”

But Sindhu's post was not solely about the disappointment of her quarterfinal defeat. She also reflected on what her four Asian Games appearances have meant to her, from her debut in 2014 to the 2026 edition.

“One painful result cannot define a journey that means so much,” she wrote, adding that there was “room for pride” after 12 years of giving everything for India.

Despite the disappointment, Sindhu made it clear that her hunger remains intact.

“I still want this. I still bring all of myself to that court. That feeling keeps me going,” she wrote.

She thanked the supporters who stayed up, cheered and believed in her, before ending her post with a message of defiance: “I’ll go again.”

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