Emerging from the shadow of Saina Nehwal to ending the year at World No. 3, PV Sindhu has come a long way
Emerging from the shadow of Saina Nehwal to ending the year at World No. 3, PV Sindhu has come a long way. After winning silver at the Rio Olympics in 2016, the lanky Hyderabadi ended 2017 with yet another silver at the BWF Dubai World Super Series Finals. She also won the silver medal at Hong Kong and World Championships.
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Post Rio, Sindhu played in seven major finals and won three Super Series titles this year, an achievement that she is satisfied with. "Although I lost in the final in Dubai, it has been a very good year. Winning and losing is part of our lives," said Sindhu, who rose to her career-best ranking of No. 2 in November.
Proper planning is key: Sindhu
The badminton calendar this year is jam-packed, with the quadrennial Commonwealth and Asian Games also adding to the schedule. The Badminton World Federation’s new rule of making it mandatory for the top 15 singles and top 10 doubles players to play 12 tournaments in the year too won’t make it easy for her. Proper planning, according to Sindhu, will be the key to success. "2018 is going to be hectic and tough. I know we have to play 12 tournaments in a year, but it also depends on each individual because they need to be mentally and physically strong. You never know when a player is injured. I will have to plan accordingly. I will sit and discuss with my coach and plan which ones I’ll play and ones I would skip. Since we need to play in so many tournaments, we need to be focused and give our best. For me, it will be taking one tournament at a time," she said.
Meanwhile, national badminton coach P Gopichand felt that Sindhu will be able to sail through despite the cramped calendar. "Sindhu should be able to manage it. She has got a body, which is fantastic, and she is somebody who can take the rigours of international badminton. Sindhu would be good to play in this format," he said.
While Sindhu has had an amazing 2017, her once illustrious compatriot Saina Nehwal spent most the year recuperating from a career-threatening knee injury she picked up in 2016. Maintaining high fitness levels in 2018 is Saina’s priority.
My aim is to remain fit: Saina
"I am happy to get my rhythm back after my injury. I am training well and will give my best in 2018. At present, I am ranked 10. I aim to remain fit after the PBL," she said.
Despite not having a great year, Gopichand felt that Nehwal will bounce back once she is physically fit. "I think she has had a few good tournaments. She has lost to a few players and beaten a few.
She is capable of big wins. Only thing is that she will have to ensure that she is physically. It is only a matter of time," he told
mid day.
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