PV Sindhu's projected path to BWF World Championships 2025 final

PV Sindhu could run into No. 2 seed Wang Zhi Yi in the Round of 16.

PV Sindhu is one of India’s most celebrated and accomplished athletes. She is a two-time Olympic medallist, winning silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020, and was crowned the BWF World Champion in 2019. The 30-year-old has also captured multiple prestigious titles on the BWF World Tour.

Over the years, Sindhu has consistently ranked among the world’s elite. While 2025 hasn’t been her most dominant season, she has shown glimpses of brilliance.

Sindhu lifted the Syed Modi International title in 2024, defeated World No. 3 Han Yue at the Denmark Open 2024, and reached the finals of the Malaysia Masters 2024 before narrowly losing to Wang Zhi Yi.

Importantly, she holds a remarkable 7–1 head-to-head record against Han Yue, a stat that could prove significant later in the tournament. Here’s a look at PV Sindhu’s projected path to the BWF World Championships 2025 final based on the draw.

PV Sindhu’s projected path-

R64 – Kaloyana Nalbantova

Kaloyana Nalbantova, ranked 66th in the world, is no pushover. At the Canada Open, she defeated India’s Ira Sharma and pushed former World Champion Nozomi Okuhara to three games.

She also reached the quarterfinals of the US Open, showing her ability to punch above her ranking. Still, Sindhu is a heavy favourite here and should be able to wrap this up in straight games.

ALSO READ: Indian shuttlers who medalled in BWF World Championships

R32 – Karupathevan Letshanaa

In the second round, Sindhu is likely to face Malaysia’s Karupathevan Letshanaa, World No. 40. Letshanaa has notable wins over Okuhara and Aakarshi Kashyap in her career, but her recent form has been inconsistent.

She remains one of Malaysia’s brightest young hopes in women’s singles, but unless Sindhu is caught off guard, this should be a comfortable outing for the Indian shuttler.

R16 – Wang Zhi Yi

This is where the challenge intensifies. Wang Zhi Yi, the current World No. 2 and No. 1 in the BWF World Tour rankings, has been in stellar form in recent months. Since May 2025, she has:

• Champion at the China Open last month
• Won the Malaysia Masters
• Runner-up at the Singapore Open (lost to Chen Yufei)
• Runner-up at the Indonesia Open (lost to An Se Young)
• Runner-up at the Japan Open (lost to An Se Young)

Sindhu will have to give her best to win here.

Quarter-final – Putri Kusuma Wardani or Tomoka Miyazaki

Both Putri Kusuma Wardani (World No. 9) and Tomoka Miyazaki (World No. 8) are rising stars of the tour. Miyazaki and Sindhu last met at the Indonesia Masters, where Sindhu won a hard-fought three-game battle 21–15, 18–21, 21–17.

Wardani, meanwhile, got the better of Miyazaki in the round of 16 at the Japan Open. Against either player, Sindhu would likely start as a slight favourite, and victory here would guarantee her a medal.

Semi-final – Han Yue / Akane Yamaguchi

World No. 3 Han Yue is one of the most consistent players on tour. In 2025 alone, she has:

• Semifinalist at the All England Open
• Finalist at the China Open
• Semifinalist at the Singapore Open, Malaysia Masters, and Indonesia Open
• Runner-up at the Badminton Asia Championships 2025

However, Sindhu’s incredible 7–1 head-to-head against Han gives her a psychological edge. On the other hand, if Sindhu makes it to the semifinals, she could also run into Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi. Sindhu leads their head-to-head 14–12, but Yamaguchi has taken the last three meetings.

While the Japanese shuttler hasn’t been in peak form recently and is yet to win a title this season, her world No. 5 ranking reflects her class. She remains a serious contender for the crown, meaning Sindhu will need to be at her sharpest.

Final – Chen Yufei / An Se Young

If Sindhu reaches the final, she will most likely face either Chen Yufei (World No. 4, Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist) or An Se Young (World No. 1, Paris 2024 Olympic gold medallist). Both are in exceptional form and would present an enormous challenge.

Over the past two years, Young has been dominant. But Sindhu is a two-time Olympic medallist and former World Champion, and if there’s one thing she knows, it’s how to peak at the biggest events.

If Sindhu manages to navigate this path, it would mark one of the most remarkable campaigns of her career. With her experience, fighting spirit, and proven record on the world stage, writing her off would be a mistake, and fans will be hoping to see her script another historic run in Jakarta.

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