Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu bowed out of the Australia Open after going down in straight games to USA's world number 12 Beiwen Zhang in the women's singles quarterfinals here on Friday.
Sindhu, who has slipped to world number 17th following a series of early exits, was looking to make her fourth semifinal of the season but found it tough to tame Zhang, losing 12-21 17-21 in 39 minutes in the USD 420,000 super 500 tournament.
In 10 past meetings, Sindhu had won six times against her opponent but she just couldn't get going on Friday against the 33-year-old Chinese-born American Zhang, who showed better control to come up trumps.
Sindhu had beaten compatriots Ashmita Chaliha and Aakarshi Kashyap in the first two rounds but her loss to Zhang would come as a big disappointment as she heads to the World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark to be held from August 21 to 27.