Indonesian women's singles badminton player Putri Kusuma Wardani was stopped in the semifinals of the 2025 BWF World Championships after losing to Japanese representative Akane Yamaguchi with a score of 17-21, 21-14, 6-21 at the Adidas Arena, Paris, France.
Putri, ranked ninth in the world, put on a tenacious performance, winning the second game 21-14. However, a series of errors in the deciding game allowed Yamaguchi to close out the match in three games. This loss improved Putri's record against Yamaguchi to 0-4.
In the first game, Putri lost momentum several times, hitting shots that went out of bounds and into the net. Despite briefly leveling the score at 13-13, Yamaguchi ultimately secured the opening game 21-17.
Putri rallied in the second game with a more aggressive attack. Her powerful smashes and varied cross-court play overwhelmed Yamaguchi, ultimately leading Putri to a convincing 21-14 victory.
However, in the third game, Putri again struggled against Yamaguchi's consistent play. Unforced errors from Putri allowed her opponent to take a commanding lead from the start, eventually leading to a 21-6 victory.
Putri made more errors in the deciding game, hitting her shots outside and into the net. Meanwhile, Akane Yamaguchi consistently delivered with drop shots and smashes that Putri couldn't anticipate.
