The hairline fracture on her left ankle has healed, but Pusarla V Sindhu was still seeking rhythm as she crashed out in her opening test at the YONEX All England 2023. It was her third straight first round loss this year, following her comeback from the injury that she’d picked up at the Commonwealth Games last August.

Pusarla’s vanquisher was Zhang Yi Man, recent winner of the PRINCESS SIRIVANNAVARI Thailand Masters. Having gone down in 39 minutes, Pusarla attributed her loss to her struggle to find rhythm.

“It’s fine now but it’s taking me time to find my rhythm,” said the world No.9. “It’s just the rhythm, you need to get it and then you’ll be there. It’s just my third tournament this year. I’m a bit sad, but it’s important to bounce back.”

The four-month break from competition was her longest since 2015, and Pusarla said the way forward was to work her way back.

“It was a hairline fracture on my left ankle. I stopped after the Commonwealth Games, it took me time because I was immobile. This is my second major injury, the first one was in 2015 and took me six months. You need to get the rhythm, it takes time mentally even though you are fit.”

German Open Champs Crash

It was a disappointing morning session for Korea, with three top pairs crashing out. Sunday’s YONEX German Open 2023 champions Choi Sol Gyu/Kim Won Ho fell in straight games to Scotland’s Adam Hall/Alexander Dunn, 21-15 21-14.

“To beat a pair like that is amazing, but to do it at the All England first round makes it extra special. Maybe they were tired, but we’ll take that,” said Hall.

Choi/Kim were joined on the sidelines by compatriots Seo Seung Jae/Kang Min Hyuk and women’s doubles fourth seeds Jeong Na Eun/Kim Hye Jeong.

Another German Open champion, Hong Kong China’s Ng Ka Long Angus, retired with a leg injury against Li Shi Feng, the player he’d beaten in last Sunday’s final.

“During the final I picked up an Achilles tendon injury, so I brought the injury here and I’m sorry I couldn’t perform my 100 per cent,” said Angus.

Retirements

Apart from Angus, two other players – Lu Guang Zu and Ciara Torrance — retired with injury. Lu couldn’t complete his match against Kodai Naraoka due to a right calf injury, while Scotland’s Torrance retired from her match with partner Julie Macpherson against Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota with a back problem.