Both top Chinese Chen Yufei and Wang Zhi Yi have been on record, admitting to the intense pressure PV Sindhu’s attack has put them under in the last few months. The sentiment is old.China hasn’t won a women’s singles World Championships title for the last 10 editions, since Wang Yihan in 2011. Another parallel timeline is eye-popping: China hasn’t won the title since PV Sindhu showed up and started medalling in 2013, almost always at their expense.Her Chinese scalps—2 in 2013 (Yihan and Shixian Wang), 1 in 2014 (Shixian), 1 in 2015 (Xuerui Li), 2 in 2017 (Sun Yu & Shixian), 1 in 2019 (Chen Yufei), 1 in 2025 (Wang Zhiyi). That’s 8 Chinese taken out over 9 editions—7 of whom were Top 7 names, and could’ve gone on to win the title. Many ended up being helpful assists for Carolina Marin or Nozomi Okuhara, while Sindhu won gold herself in 2019. But even in her struggling phase last year, she conjured an eviction of Wang Zhi Yi, on the upswing. So, the Chinese must be quite fed up of running into the Indian, all the more now that Sindhu’s game is stinging once more.Wang Zhi Yi might come well prepared for her pre-quarters should both make it that far in Delhi. But the Sindhu-sword hangs once more on Chinese progress.But how did a 17-year-old lanky Indian in 2013, manage to reduce the Chinese challenge by half, taking out two of their finest?It has always been the big smash. A weapon so exclusively lethal that Sindhu’s then coach Pullela Gopichand, consciously decided to not clutter her brain with other weapons, or a bouquet of strokes. “Saina and Sindhu had two of the biggest smashes in women’s singles. They were developed not to work around with too many skills. Instead of 5 strokes, we focused on one smash, maybe one sharp drop as opposed to a strike,” he recalls.The thinking was laser-sharp: too many strokes can muddle the mind, scatter shot selection and hamper a calm, zoned in mindset. A big power smash will never desert you, skills can. So, Sindhu trained a lot on parallels in doubles training but the goal was always to find an opening to bring out that cross court kill.Story continues below this ad“The Chinese hate the big smash,” Gopichand explains, and it’s because they tend to be rhythm players. Any kind of start-stop footwork and a big smash hit from random places on the court, would put them off their game.So Sindhu would follow a Plan A devised to crack their deception. Coaches and players would invariably go into a hyper huddle, and bring out a “video-analysed response.” But if that got countered with Plan B, they almost always struggled. But the beauty of the beastly smash was that nobody could quite counter it. Data points can’t counter the ‘Tthaann’ sounding thwack of the Sindhu smash.Three generations of Chinese kept trying. What compounds matters for them is how fearless Indians tend to be in a nonchalant, non-deliberate, effortless way. When top Indians played the Chinese, they uncannily had the weapons to make them uncomfortable. “2012 December, Sindhu defeated Li Xuerui, the Olympic champion. That set the tone,” he recalls.Perhaps the only match that kept Coach Gopichand awake and wondering was Kidambi Srikanth vs Lin Dan in quarters at the Rio Olympics. “It was a possibility,” he says wistfully of an opponent he led 2-1, “but Lin Dan transformed himself. Evolved.”Story continues below this adOther Chinese tend to be beatable always, when put under pressure. It’s why he backs Sindhu for an encore. “Sindhu’s playing really well right now. The Chinese will come prepared because they’ve had time. We just need to plan,” he insists of what must be a 10-day opponent-specific training after the draw was released.Were a SWAT analysis to be done, Sindhu has the big smash in the big stadium, whereas Wang Zhi Yi doesn’t. The Chinese can run down everything, is a courageous retriever and doesn’t relent. But her game is fitness-based.Moreover, tournament dynamics will come in. The Chinese are determined to break their long title-drought, now in its 15th year. They see An Se-young as the obstacle. But taking on the Korean means the Chinese, especially Wang Zhi Yi who could play her in the semis, will need to ration their intensity, and pace their week. Saving energy, playing slow, finding their rhythm: all things that can eventually dislodge the World No 1. But not necessarily factor in the out-of-syllabus Sindhu, the rhythm-shatterer. It’s how the Indian who won a Japan Super 750 last month, has beaten the Chinese before — stomping with a no-holds-barred smash.They know it’s coming. They’ve known it won’t stop. Sindhu playing at a home World’s – stuff nightmares are made of.Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More Tags:PV Sindhu