PV Sindhu Is Not Done Yet For She Feels She Has A Lot More To Achieve And It Involves More Than Just The Top

She is on a roll right now.

Jamie AlterUpdated: Nov 10, 2017, 10:01 IST
PV Sindhu

Chasing perfection, PV Sindhu tells you matter-of-factly, is a never-ending pursuit. What happens along the way, be it winning a silver medal at the Badminton World Championships, a record-setting third Korea Open Super Series, rising to No. 2 in the BWF women's singles rankings or crashing out in the league stage of an event, is all part of that pursuit.

PV Sindhu

afp

This year, Sindhu has to her credit the aforementioned silver medal at the World Championships, her first India Open and the Korea Open, making her first Indian to win that event three times. In between such glittering success, she made it to the quarters of the Australia Open Super Series and the semi-final of the French Open, and last month rose to a career-high No. 2.

A day after she finished runner-up to Saina Nehwal at the end of a gruelling, energy-sapping final of the 82nd national badminton championship, Sindhu spoke to TOI Sports.

Was it tough to motivate yourself for the nationals after a year full of Super Series and the World Championships?

No, because this year the top players were all participating. It is still an important tournament. It was tough, I played my natural game and did not think that it was any less of an event. Once I reached the final, I knew it was going to be tough because of Saina, so I went into it expecting to play hard. It was a good match, though I would have liked to have won. That's part of sport.

PV Sindhu

afp

Women's badminton has become so competitive. I think the top 20 players have more or less been equal. No two players are the same because each one has a different style and different range of strokes. On a given day, different strategies will work for each person. The key is not being overconfident. You should not think that because I'm a top-ranked player I will win this game. You have to be focused.

Carolina Marin in the final of the Olympics, two epic encounters with Nozomi Okuhara - 110 minutes in the World Championships final and 84 minutes in the Korea Open final - and now yesterday's final in Nagpur which lasted 54 minutes across two intense games ... you're making a pattern of playing some gruelling matches.

Badminton has been improving, it's become a lot tougher with so many strong players, especially in women's badminton, if you see, there have been a lot of long matches lasting three games. The World Championship final was one of the most intense matches I've played, so many long rallies.

PV Sindhu

afp

When you practice, you focus on all sorts of strokes and rallies but you cannot reproduce such long matches in training. Fitness is the key. You need to have strokes and stamina and agility, you need to exercise really well. On court and off court are equally important.

Do you now, over two months later, think back to Glasgow and realise that you were two points away from becoming world champion?

Yeah, I think about it a lot. But I don't regret it. It was one of the longest and best matches. An hour and 50 minutes is not at all easy. You take it to 20-20 and each point becomes more critical than the last. It was extremely difficult for both of us ... a rally of 73 strokes ... but at the end of the day she [Okuhara] did really well and only one person can win. It wasn't my day, but there are no regrets that I did not play this stroke or that one. I feel like I could have won, of course. But it wasn't my day.

In two earlier World Championships you reached the last four, but won bronze. Was the hunger stronger after an Olympic medal?

PV Sindhu

afp

That was one of the things, yes. I also thought that two bronzes were okay, but I had to change the colour of the medal this year. I wanted to win gold and went all-out. After the Olympics, everything totally changed, especially my confidence levels. Winning in Rio really mattered to my game.

But for me, every tournament is the same. Coming to the draw, you never know ... you may play a top-ranked player, you may not. But you want to play top-ranked players. There may be a difference between a Super Series and the World Championships, but my preparation remains the same. I want to play my best and I want to win. It is never the case that I will push myself more for the World Championships and play differently in a Super Series, or vice-versa.

Just staying on the topic of that final in Glasgow - those rallies of 73 and 56 strokes make for one of the abiding memories of the year. What do you feel when people term your match with Okuhara as one of the greatest of all time?

PV Sindhu

afp

I really feel happy. The Olympics are different, the World Championships are different, each Super Series is different. Each event has its own challenges and brings different results and emotions. Different players, different atmosphere and a different way of playing, even, for us. When people say I've played one of the best matches, it makes me motivated to do more. It's encouraging.

Do you feel the burden of expectations after winning an Olympic silver?

PV Sindhu

afp

We all have goals. When you set goals, it is not easy to just follow them and show up at an event. A lot of hard work goes into following up on your goals. You need to sacrifice so many things. That said, it has never been a burden for me.

I have achieved a lot, but for me this is just the start. There's a lot more to come, a lot more to achieve. Every sportsperson's dream would be to win a medal at the Olympics, but I never expected to make the final. It was my first Olympics, so I just wanted to play my game and do my best in each match.

I really never expected a medal. Since I won, my life changed. The responsibilities increased, the expectations are much more from me wherever I go. People expect Sindhu to win every tournament, which is not possible. Some days you will play excellently, some days you won't. Some days you will give 100%, some days you won't. Sometimes you are not lucky enough. There are ups and downs and every day is a new start.

Are there moments of self doubt?

Not really. When you lose, you feel bad and get nervous about what's happening. But you also learn from your mistakes, so it's not like you just lose and think 'what next?'. It's the ability to come out from those losses and mistakes that makes you stronger.

You're 22 and you've said that there's so much more to come. How do you assess your game?

PV Sindhu

afp

One of my strong points is that because I'm tall, I get very good reach. My court coverage is very good. But being tall, since players have seen my games over the years and can plan against me, they don't give me many chances to attack. They try to make me bend a lot, because I'm tall. That is tough. There are advantages and disadvantages to being tall, which I am constantly working at. I need to focus on every possible stroke. Chasing perfection is a never-ending process.

You are No. 2 in the women's game. Is No. 1 a focus point?

PV Sindhu

afp

Everyone would want to become No. 1 in the world, and being second right now I too want to become No. 1. But the rankings don't matter when I train or play. If you play big tournaments and do well, you will move up the rankings and become No. 1. I cannot focus on the rankings and think that I need to win this tournament or that to become No. 1. I need to focus on my matches and make sure I win.

With so many Indian shuttlers in the top 20 of the men's and women's singles ratings, is this the golden age of Indian badminton?

Yes, Indian badminton is doing really well. Men's and women's, we have several players in the top 15. And you will definitely see many more coming up in the years to come.

23/11/2024 9:56:3
seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
mfhoudan.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
jerusalemdispatch.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
worldhealthstory.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
techguroh.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com