CHENNAI: Just as Lakshya Sen was gradually edging closer towards victory over World No 1 Shi Yu Qi in the first round of the All England Open on Tuesday, former world champion PV Sindhu was recalling the harrowing days she faced in Dubai. After being stuck there due to the ongoing West Asia turmoil, the ace shuttler, who was taking a connecting flight via UAE to Birmingham for the All England Open, was in a state of helplessness as chaos ensued around her. Badminton had taken a back seat and hers and her support staff's safety had taken precedence. Despite support from various quarters — friends, well-wishers, sports ministry, Badminton Association of India officials and other officials — her chances of participating in the All England grew thinner and thinner before she was eventually forced to pull out. However, she, clearly shaken by the incident, is just grateful to be safe and sound after reaching Bengaluru on Tuesday.
In an interaction facilitated by Sports Authority of India (SAI), Sindhu recounted the terrifying moments she encountered in Dubai. The double Olympic medallist, who had landed in the said city on Saturday, said it was chaotic as soon as the airspace was suspended due to the ongoing conflict. "Initially, when they announced that the flight was suspended, we were at the airport. There was no clarity and the airport staff kept us waiting for a couple of hours. Finally, they said the airspace is closed. They said they'll take us to the transit hotel. The whole process took a lot of time. Almost all the flights got cancelled. So, it was chaos," Sindhu recalled.
Despite reaching a secure location, her ordeal was far from over. Noises outside added to her stress levels and she could do nothing much but stay indoors and hope for safety. "On a daily basis, we were watching the news. I could hear big noises, it was very scary. We also got emergency messages, advising us to stay indoors, stay away from the windows. It was terrifying. On one hand, I was thinking I'm missing my tournament but on the other hand, I was telling myself safety is very important."
Having seen the chaos up close, the 30-year-old hopes that she won't have to go through such kind of moments again. "It was a lot of stress and scary. We try to stay calm as a sportsperson but we're not inside actually. It was very stressful. It was an experience, I can say. I hope it's the first and last experience."
As Sindhu tried to process the disturbing hours she faced in the last few days, her counterpart Lakshya Sen pulled off a monumental victory over Shi 23-21, 19-21, 21-17 in the men's singles opening round. Sindhu said she explored every option to try and make it to the event. She is obviously disappointed to miss out but she's also grateful to be safe and secure. Under normal circumstances, withdrawal from events leads to fine. But given her situation, Sindhu could be spared. She said that she has explained her situation to the Badminton World Federation and they understood her misfortune. "I tried every possible way to go to the All England but nothing was in my hand. Nothing worked out. I told the BWF. They said they'll get back to me. They understood my situation. It's sad I couldn't play but like I said, safety was of utmost importance."
As Sindhu tries to move forward, she is not sure of the coming days in regards to competition. She is targetting Swiss Open, which begins on March 10, but given the ongoing conflict, which refuses to die down, things could get complicated. "The flights are full. And everything is via Dubai. I'm trying different options. Let's see what will happen. Right now the war is still going on...It's a sensitive matter. So let's hope for the best."