Hong Kong, November 25

India’s PV Sindhu vowed there was “more to come” after she proved her Olympic success was no flash in the pan by winning her first Superseries badminton title.

Sindhu continued her winning ways at the Hong Kong Open on Friday, fighting past Indonesia’s Liang Xiaoyu, 21-17, 21-23, 21-18 to reach the semi-finals. Last week, Sindhu beat Sun Yu to claim the China Open Superseries title, three months after she became the first Indian woman to win an individual Olympic silver medal.

“This is only the start for me,” the world No 9 told AFP at the Hong Kong Coliseum stadium, where she racked up her eighth straight win on Friday. “There’s only more to come.”

Sindhu looked set to square off in the semi-finals against compatriot Saina Nehwal, who had been on fine form at the tournament, but crashed out to Hong Kong’s Cheung Ngan-yi in three games late Friday. Nehwal had been India’s most prominent badminton star after she won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics.

Sindhu, 21, exceeded Nehwal by winning silver at Rio 2016, a result which catapulted her to fame in India with congratulations from the prime minister and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.

But Nehwal, who recently returned from knee surgery and appeared to fade during her 8-21, 21-18, 19-21 quarter-final loss, warned of the pitfalls that can come with fame in India.

Successful athletes are under huge pressure to keep winning, while also remaining perfect role models, she said.