HYDERABAD: In an interaction with Express last September, reigning Indian badminton queen and World No 4, PV Sindhu, had said that she would like to control her anger. “I get really emotional at times,” she had said. Fast forward to about six months with the All England Championship set to roll (March 14), she seems to have gotten rid herself of the problem. “Now, it is fine. I have worked on it, and realised that you cannot remain frustrated over a lost point for long,” she said on Friday.
The 22-year-old’s travel itinerary was towards Mumbai on Friday morning. Not someone to shy away from hard work, she went through what was her last practice session at the SAI-Gopichand Academy before the marquee tournament. She will travel to Birmingham via Dubai.
Unlike the other ace of Indian badminton, Saina Nehwal, she has been handed a relatively easier draw in the first round, where she will face the 20-year-old Thai, Pornpawee Chochuwong (World No 17). Nehwal is pitted against the nemesis of Indian female shuttlers, Tai Tzu Ying (World number 1). The Chinese Taipei player has a 3-8 and 5-9 head-to-head record against Sindhu and Nehwal respectively.
Asked how she feels about the competition awaiting at one of the most respected badminton championships on the planet, she said: “I believe that all players in the top-20 are on the same level. From the first round itself, the competition looks tough.”Sindhu is predominantly an attacking player. The much-improved net-game could spur her growth in the tournament, as she chases the dream of becoming the first Indian woman to lift the coveted trophy (coach Pullela Gopichand and Prakash Padukone are the only winners from the country, and Saina reached the final in 2015). “I have gained a lot of confidence over the years, and I feel I am more patient as well,” she said when asked how she has seen herself change.
Then there is the new service rule (being tried on experimental basis by the BWF) in the mix that has many top players worried. Not Sindhu, though.
“The tall Danish players might have a problem. I do not think I will face any issues with this rule. And I do not think this will change the game either.” Gopichand had told the same to this newspaper.
The lanky shuttler had a very productive 2017 where she won two Superseries tournaments and reached the finals of the World Championships and Dubai World Superseries.
This season too has been good so far, as she reached the final of the India Open. Whether she carries that form forward and conquers those ‘finals blues’, only time will tell. ‘Rules about on-court coaching will not change anything’
On the new BWF proposals to reduce on-court coaching and tweak the scoring system to 11-point-a game format spread across five games, she said, “On-court coaching is between the players and coaches. I do not think bringing a rule will change anything. If a coach feels like helping, he/she will go ahead and do that anyway.
“The 11-point system, if introduced, will obviously make the game much faster. The athletes would find it difficult to make a comeback.”
vishal@newindianexpress.com