Chinese badminton star Wang Zhiyi in ‘fake injury’ controversy after World Championships win

China player collapses twice in deciding game before ousting home favourite PV Sindhu to reach quarter-finals at the event for first time

Chinese badminton player Wang Zhiyi sparked a “fake injury” controversy on Thursday after collapsing twice before rallying to defeat PV Sindhu in an 88-minute marathon, leaving the Indian star questioning whether her opponent had suffered genuine cramps or deployed a tactical ploy.

In a women’s singles last-16 match at the World Championships, Wang overcame the host favourite in a gripping, back-and-forth contest, ultimately securing a 21-11, 15-21, 21-17 victory to reach her career-first quarter-finals at the tournament.

Wang started brightly, comfortably taking the opening game through disciplined rally control. Sindhu responded aggressively in the second, capitalising on attacking opportunities with steep downward smashes to level the match.

The decider turned into a gruelling battle as the pair fought to 16-all. At this critical juncture, Wang suffered a sudden thigh cramp after a diving save, collapsing on the court in visible pain and prompting a medical timeout.

Returning to the court after brief treatment, Wang fell again under the intensity of the rallies, setting the stage for post-match friction.

The Chinese player persevered to seal the final game, ending a 13-year World Championships drought for China’s women’s singles players against Sindhu.