RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian shuttler Putri Kusuma Wardani made a strong start to her 2026 China Open campaign, clearing her opening hurdle.

She kept alive her bid to reach a maiden BWF World Tour Super 1000 semifinal, an achievement that would further strengthen Indonesia’s presence at one of badminton’s most prestigious tournaments.

The sixth seed defeated China’s Han Qian Xi 21-16, 21-16 in the women’s singles round of 32 in Changzhou on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.

“Alhamdulillah, I won today and, most importantly, finished the match without any injuries. Overall, I’m happy with my performance,” Putri said, as quoted on the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) official website.

She admitted that adapting to the playing conditions was her biggest challenge after competing at last week’s Japan Open. “The main adjustment was the court conditions because they are a bit different from Japan. It’s windier here,” she said.

Putri noted that Han raised the intensity late in the second game by attacking more aggressively and displaying strong net play.

“My opponent increased the tempo toward the end of the second game by attacking continuously. Her net play was also very good, very tight and difficult to return. I made several mistakes, allowing her to win a few points,” she continued.

Compared to their previous meeting last year, Putri observed improvements in Han’s front-court game. “Compared to our last meeting, her front-court variations have improved,” she added.

Looking ahead, Putri hopes to achieve her best-ever result at a Super 1000 tournament.

“I’ve never reached the semifinals of a Super 1000 event, and I hope I can do it here. That’s my first target. Looking at the draw, there seems to be an opportunity, but I can’t underestimate anyone because this is a Super 1000 tournament. I’ll stay focused one match at a time,” she concluded.

The China Open 2026 is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the BWF World Tour, carrying Super 1000 status, the highest regular level on the circuit outside the season-ending World Tour Finals.

The tournament takes place from July 21–26, 2026, at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in Changzhou, Jiangsu, China, with a total prize purse of USD 2 million. ***