All of 17, she’s the newest star in India’s badminton pantheon. At 15, Pusarla Venkata Sindhu had sailed into the semi-finals of the Indian Grand Prix in Hyderabad; last year she won the Senior Nationals at Bangalore, the youngest ever, counting Saina Nehwal. She is the first Indian girl to win the junior Asian Championship in Korea.
Sindhu is shy like a child, but strike up a conversation and her candour comes shining through soon enough, revealing the maturity within. Her game is deceptively similar, tentative and fragile for the first few minutes before she gets going. When Sindhu left for the China Masters recently, Divya, her sister, had wanted her to beat the London Olympics gold medallist Li Xuerui. After she did the impossible, Sindhu tweeted, “Divyyyyaaaaaaaa akkkkkkkkkaaaaa iiiiiii wonnnnnnnn ufffffff (Sister Divya I won).”
Sindhu’s father P V Ramana, an Arjuna awardee, was a member of the Indian volleyball team that won the bronze at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games. Her mother Vijaya was also a volleyball player. After observing their daughter’s agility and athleticism, they decided to steer her into badminton. They were spot on: Sindhu is living up to all their expectations, and more.
She’s got the right coaching to. From Mahboob Ali, S M Arif and Govardhan Reddy to finally Pullela Gopichand, Sindhu has trained under the who’s who of Indian badminton.
Sindhu is already being touted as the next Saina Nehwal. Saina wasn’t her first inspiration, however. It was Gopi, who Sindhu met when she was six. “Don’t be a volleyball player like your father,” Gopichand had joked.
Badminton began as a pastime for Sindhu. The kids around her West Marredpally residence in Hyderabad would play shuttle. Ramana would take his two daughters to the IAS Officers’ Club courts, eight km from their residence. Even as Divya, who played netball as it was easier than badminton, would backtrack, Sindhu would insist that her father take her to the courts to play badminton. Coach Nani Prasad suggested Ramana take her to IRISET court which was closer to their residence in Secunderabad. As a seven-year-old, Sindhu did not get to play with seniors so the late Ali advised her to do wall practice and told her not to quit till the paint peeled! “She wouldn’t grumble. Her commitment and involvement were intense right from childhood,” says mother Vijaya.
A summer coaching camp at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Indoor Stadium was Sindhu’s next step. “Sindhu would wait patiently for her turn but she never lost focus,” says Ramana. Reddy says Sindhu’s involvement in the game was something that had to be seen to be believed. “She would practice for hours and never complain. There was always a smile on her face. She imbibed the discipline from her father,” he says.
Around this time in 2004, Gopichand quit the game and began his new academy at the SAAP Indoor stadium at Gachbibowli. Reddy and Gopichand insisted that Ramana bring Sindhu to Gachibowli, which was 25 km from the main city. It was a difficult proposition, financially and otherwise, for Ramana and Vijaya, both railway employees. A bus was arranged to take the players from Lal Bahadur Stadium to the Gachibowli complex but it was stopped after a month. “We were already feeling the financial pinch and the time factor too was a problem. Sometimes we would get caught in traffic jams,” recalls Ramana. But they stayed the course, even selling a part of their property.
Sindhu’s first title came when she won the under-10 tournament organised by Krishna Khaitan, the year Sikki Reddy triumphed in under-14 and Saina in under-16. An impressed Gopichand told Ramana that he would have to make a few sacrifices for his daughter’s career. “We took Gopi’s words seriously,” says Ramana.
Sindhu idolises Gopichand and Saina. “No one can speak against her Gopi anna or Saina. She would talk about Gopi’s coaching or Saina’s game, mostly with Divya,” says Ramana.
Gopichand always says Sindhu has the game, like Saina, to beat the best in the world. “I like the way she approaches the game. She is very aggressive on the court. She has a very powerful smash and moves around the court well. Yes, we have to iron out a few flaws and make her a stronger player,” he says.
As Sindhu began winning titles, her workload increased. “But she never complained of fatigue. If her coach Gopi would say come at 4.30 am, she would be there. She would be restless till we took her to court,” says Ramana. For the last few years Sindhu has been rising at 3.45 am to reach the Gopichand academy for a gruelling training schedule. Ramana bought a flat near the academy. “We had no other alternative as Sindhu’s career was important,” he says.
What does the future hold for Sindhu? “She is a very aggressive player, even more than Saina,” points out Arif. Saina herself believes it. “She plays all the strokes and is never afraid to play strokes. She attacks a lot. I liked the way she took the challenge against the Chinese players,” says Saina. She feels that the big test for Sindhu starts from now. “She will now be more watched by the Chinese. I think Gopi Sir would have noted this and it would be a big test for Sindhu,” says Saina.
Former international player Sanjay Sharma says Sindhu, who is ranked 24th in the world, may break into the top 10 this year.
"I play confidently with all the players, not just the Chinese. I don’t fear the Chinese”
- An interview with Pusarla Venkata Sindhu
Pusarla Venkata Sindhu enhanced her reputation recently when she stunned London Olympics gold medallist Li Xuerui of China in the women’s singles quarter-finals at China Masters Super Series badminton tournament. Excerpts from an interview:
How did you beat Olympic champ Li Xuerui? And, what was your feeling after achieving what might have seemed to be an impossible task?
I’m very happy. I didn’t expect I would win. I gave my 100 per cent.
Where did you lose the plot in the semi-final against Jiang?
I was close to beating her but I played a negative game for the last two points in the third game. So I lost it.
There is a lot of focus on you after you defeated Li Xuerui. Any pressure?
There is no pressure as of now. I have to continue my game with the same spirit. I have become a much more confident player.
At 17, you could beat an Olympic champion. How do you compare this with the Senior Nationals win?
This win is very important for me in my career. This has given me a lot of confidence. In the upcoming tournaments, I have to improve a lot on my game. The Senior Nationals win at Bangalore is the biggest tournament on the national circuit but winning against an Olympic gold medalist is a bigger achievement.
How big was the Asian Junior title which you won this year in July?
It is the biggest achievement in my junior career and being the first Indian to win the gold medal for my country in the tournament was an awesome feeling.
How do you prepare for tournaments?
After every tournament, I sit down with my coaches and analyse my game. I work on my mistakes.
How much has Saina influenced your game? How much does she inspire you? What do you like about her game?
I have to learn a lot from her. She is very aggressive on court and never leaves the shuttle on the court.
What do you think of your coach Gopichand? Is he a hard task master?
As a child I was inspired by Gopi sir and had therefore chosen badminton as my career. He is very supportive and has played an important role in my win against the Olympic gold medal winner. I’m very thankful to him.
How confident are you playing against the Chinese? Do you fear them and what do you admire in them?
I play confidently with all the players, not just the Chinese. I don’t fear the Chinese. Not at all! They are very strong and aggressive on court.
What do you think is the key to success in the modern game?
Stamina is very important. We have to work on our game and fitness.
Do you miss the fun part of life as you are totally involved in badminton? Do you watch films?
I enjoy playing badminton. I haven’t felt that I have missed out on something. I do watch films in my free time. As a part of my diet I shouldn’t be eating junk. So I try and avoid them.