PV Sindhu’s quest for a historic sixth medal at the BWF World Championships ended in heartbreak on August 29, 2025, in Paris. The two-time Olympic medalist faced a tough challenge in the quarter-finals, where she was knocked out by Putri Wardani in a thrilling three-game match at the Adidas Arena.

Sindhu, who had been chasing history with the goal of becoming the first female player to win six medals at the prestigious World Championships, fought valiantly but fell short. In what was a pulsating encounter, Sindhu, after losing the first game 14-21, made a strong comeback to win the second game 21-13, forcing a decider. However, Wardani, ranked higher than Sindhu, clinched the third game 21-16, securing the victory after an intense one-hour-eight-minute battle.

The match was a hard-fought contest with both players showing incredible resolve. Despite Sindhu’s best efforts, it was not meant to be as Wardani's youthful energy and consistency eventually outlasted Sindhu’s experience. This quarter-final loss came a year after Sindhu failed to medal at the Tokyo Olympics, but she has since shown resilience and strength with a vintage performance in Paris.

Earlier, Sindhu had stunned World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi of China, which had brought her much-needed confidence and set the stage for another strong campaign at the World Championships. But her hopes for a sixth medal were dashed in this closely contested quarter-final.

The loss was especially poignant as Sindhu was hoping to gift her nation a World Championship medal on National Sports Day, but her efforts ultimately fell short. Sindhu’s performance in the tournament has once again shown that she remains a fierce competitor, but her dreams of adding to her medal tally will have to wait for another year. As for Putri Wardani, the win marks a significant milestone in her career, and she moves on to the semi-finals of the 2025 BWF World Championships. Meanwhile, Sindhu’s journey continues as she aims for greater achievements in the future.