PV Sindhu Vs FN Abdul Razzaq Highlights, Paris Olympics: Star Shuttler Wins Opener In Straight Games

PV Sindhu's opener against Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq is set to start at 12:50pm IST. It is a group-stage clash, and precedes the knockout rounds. Nothing short of a dominant victory will satisfy the Indian today.

The two players last met at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. It was a women's singles round of 32 match, where PV Sindhu comprehensively beat FN Abdul Razzaq 21-4, 21-11. The Indian, who is ranked 13th in the world currently, will no doubt be seeking a similar scoreline today.

All is in readiness for the match to begin. Sindhu has walked out, shook hands with the chair umpire and is doing the customary pre-match knocking.

A loud roar rings out as Sindhu's name is announced. Indian support clearly not in short supply in Paris. The match gets underway, and Sindhu opens up a 3-1 lead in the first game.

Razzaq shows some early fight with her deep tosses in the back court. Sindhu is unfazed, however and wins the service back after an unforced error from the Maldivian.

Sindhu starting to assert herself now. Razzaq has few answers to the Indian's deft drops and cross-court shots. Sindhu with a sizeable lead in the first game.

Sindhu in cruise control at the mid-game interval. Her lead stretched to seven points in the first game as the two players exit the court for a 60-second break.

Play resumes and so does Sindhu's dominance. The 10th seed draws more errors from Razzaq to surge to a 13-4 lead in Game 1.

All too easy for Sindhu currently. A service error from the Maldivian highlights the gulf in class between the two players as of now. Sindhu four points away from pocketing the first game.

A swift put-away at the net brings Sindhu two points away from winning the first game. The Indian has not been tested much, but looks in good touch in her campaign opener.

Some fight shown by Razzaq as she wins three back-to-back points. Too little, too late though, in all likelihood.

And that's that. Sindhu takes the first game in just 13 minutes with a 21-9 scoreline. One more game and Sindhu will be out of here in a jiffy. Can Razzaq mount a challenge in Game 2?

The match resumes and Sindhu races to a 3-0 lead in no time. Very little that the Maldivian has been able to do has bothered the Olympic double medallist.

Razzaq wins three straight points but a netcord error from her hands Sindhu the service back. The Indian's lead just two points as of now, but that could change very quickly.

Another string of points for Sindhu and her lead stretches to eight points at the mid-game interval. Six consecutive points for the world number 13 mean that she is in striking distance of a resounding win in her first group match in Paris.

Just six more points needed for Sindhu to wrap up a comprehensive win.

Four points away now. Razzaq perhaps resigned to her fate at this stage. Sindhu looks calm.

There we have it. Sindhu harries Razzaq with her impeccable cross-court placement to induce and error, and converts her first of 14 available match points to win 21-9, 21-6. All wrapped up in less than half an hour and Sindhu is leaving the arena, hardly having broken a sweat.

Sindhu will next face Estonia's Kristin Kuuba in Group M on July 31. Another easy win is expected there for her, but you never know in sport and the Olympics. Stay tuned for that and other live updates.

With that, we conclude our coverage of Sindhu's match. Live updates continue from other Olympic events with an India focus, meanwhile.