On Friday, in a interview to Times of India PV Sindhu Rio silver medallist got candid about how winning the silver medal at the tender age of 21 has given her so much confidence.
She said that she wasn’t sure about winning a medal but was sure that she would give her best in every possible way.
Talking to Times of India she said “I didn’t think I would have an Olympic medal at 21, but I knew I would give my best and play my game. I just viewed it as my first Olympics, and that I would take it one match at a time, but to bring a silver home made me very, very happy.”
“Each match went on and on, and it was really anybody’s game. It’s the Olympics, so everybody is at their best level and you’re playing the top players. Keeping that mental aspect in mind, I only knew that I had to give my best – it wasn’t compulsory to win a medal, because you never know when it might be your day or not be your day.”
After the Rio Olympics she went on to win the China Open against China’s Sun Yu 21-11, 17-21, 21-11 at Fuzhou, “The Olympic medal gave me a lot of confidence, and I went and won my first Super Series in Hong Kong. So in that regards, what Rio did was give me extra motivation and the confidence that now anything can happen. My belief was stronger,” said Sindhu.
Currently, Sindhu ranks fourth in the BWF women’s singles rankings after rising to second place in April.
The Finals of the Rio Olympics had Sindhu fighting against Spanish Shutler Marin. Right now Marin and Sindhu have 5-6 head-to-head record. Sindhu and Marin crossed the paths again in the Dubai World Super Series Finals in December and beat her in straight games 21-17, 21-13. When two faced off in the final of the India Open in April, Sindhu emerged victorious 21-19, 21-16 in 47 minutes. Most recently, Marin hit back by beating Sindhu 21-11, 21-15 in the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Open.
About her rivalry with current world No 2 Marin, Sindhu said “On court, of course, we are rivals but off the court we’re just normal friends. On court, definitely only one of us wants to win so we fight for that. That competition should always be there, that’s how badminton will get better. That’s what the sport, the players and the fans want. But off court, we’re just friends”.
P V Sindhu has credited former All-England Open winner turned national badminton coach P Gopichand as an inspiration he has not just helped her build this wonderful career, but as the driving force behind pushing Indian badminton to the next level. “Gopi sir has been a huge source of inspiration, right from the Under-10 level. Thanks to him we’ve been getting the best facilities and now there are new coaches coming in, foreign coaches too, and whatever we’ve wanted, be it physios or whatever, so the structure is very good. Interest in the sport has increased a lot too, and I think there will be a lot more success going forward,” she said.
“There are many youngsters out there who have been doing really well. I think after me, there’s Rituparna Das who has done very well, but overall what I’ve seen is that the next set of badminton players is very talented and definitely there will be someone else.”
