Indian shuttle queen PV Sindhu began her quest for a second Korea Open title with a 21-15, 21-14 win over World No. 70 Lauren Lam in Suncheon on Wednesday.
With the American being heavily short of experience at the highest level, the 2017 champion didn't need much of a workout in her first match of the tournament.
Now the challenge gets steeper for the two-time Olympic medalist. Sindhu next faces World No. 26 Aya Ohori for a place in the quarter-finals of this BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament.
25-year-old Ohori had a prolific junior career, winning silver and bronze at the World Junior Championships as well as gold at the Asian Junior Championships. Her transition to the senior circuit has been slow so far, with the Japanese having just a handful of titles at the erstwhile BWF Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold level.
That said, Ohori has been a part of the world's top 15 and can pack quite a punch. She stretched Sindhu to the decider the last two times they crossed swords.
However, this year, Ohori is woefully short of match practice. Having played just one match ahead of the Korea Open, she doesn't stand much of a chance against a player who already has two titles under her belt this season.
Korea Open 2022: Match details
Fixture: (3) PV Sindhu vs Aya Ohori.
Head-to-head: PV Sindhu leads Aya Ohori 11-0 in the head-to-head. Interestingly, the Japanese has managed to take a game off Sindhu only four times in their 11 meetings.
Their most recent clash at the 2021 Indonesia Open was, however, close. The World No. 7 edged the 26th-ranked Ohori 17-21, 21-17, 21-17 in that match.
Date: April 7, 2022.
Time: Not before 12.40 pm local time/ 9.10 am IST.
Tournament: Korea Open Badminton Championships 2022.
Round: Second Round (Round of 16).
Venue: Suncheon, Korea.
Category: HSBC BWF World Tour Super 500.
When and where to watch PV Sindhu vs Aya Ohori
The second-round clash between PV Sindhu and Aya Ohori won't be telecast anywhere.
However, the match can be followed on the BWF website and Tournament Software, both of which will provide live scores. Moreover, the social media accounts of both BWF and the Badminton Association of India will provide regular updates on the match.