Sindhu reaches Hylo Open last eight as Kharb also advances

P. V. Sindhu reached the Hylo Open 2026 quarterfinals in Saarbrücken, Germany, on Thursday with a 21-9, 21-6 win over France’s Rosy Oktavia Pancasari. The second-seeded Indian completed the round-of-16 match in under 30 minutes and will next face Denmark’s Amalie Schulz.

Indian teenager Anmol Kharb also advanced, recovering from a first-game defeat to beat higher-seeded Line Christophersen. Malvika Bansod, however, went out in the round of 16 after losing to Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang.

Sindhu progresses in straight games

She took the opening game 21-9 and followed it with a 21-6 second game, securing her place in the last eight without dropping a game.

The result follows Sindhu’s runner-up finish at the French Open Super 750. She lost that final to World No. 1 An Se-young before arriving at the Hylo Open, a Super 500 tournament.

Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, now has another quarterfinal ahead of her. Her next opponent, Schulz, stands between her and a place in the final four in Saarbrücken.

Kharb wins three-game contest

Kharb’s route to the quarterfinals was more demanding. The 19-year-old lost the first game to Christophersen 11-21, then took the second 21-18 to force a decider.

The final game went to 25-23 in Kharb’s favour, completing a comeback that took one hour and three minutes. Her win ensured she joined Sindhu in the last eight, although their quarterfinal opponents are different.

Bansod could not add to those wins. Wen Yu Zhang beat her 21-11, 21-17 earlier in the day, ending Bansod’s run at the round-of-16 stage.

Quarterfinals bring another Indian meeting

Kharb will next play compatriot Unnati Hooda for a place in the final four. That quarterfinal guarantees one of them will advance, while Sindhu must beat Schulz to continue her own run.

Sindhu and Kharb reached this stage in contrasting fashion: Sindhu won quickly in straight games, while Kharb needed a deciding game against a higher-seeded opponent. Their next matches will determine whether either, or both, move into the Hylo Open semifinals.