Dominant PV Sindhu lifts home crowd with sublime victory

With new coach by her side, double Olympic medallist (Rio and Tokyo Games) picks up a handsome win to enter quarterfinals of the India Open badminton
PV SIndhu in action against Manami Suizu on Thursday
PV SIndhu in action against Manami Suizu on Thursday BAI
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New Delhi: New coach, new season and a new beginning. PV Sindhu has spent countless days dedicating her life to badminton but the ongoing India Open marked a fresh sojourn for her. Her stock, purely in terms of her performance inside the court, has taken a nosedive in the last twelve months or so but she has been in high spirits in recent days. It might take a good number of wins to retrace her old winning habits but she seems to be in the right direction under Irwansyah Adi Pratama, the Indonesian coach who was recently recruited to coach India's women's singles unit.

On Thursday, she put up a dominant performance, albeit against a much lower-ranked opponent, but it was still a noteworthy performance as the two-time Olympic medallist thrilled the home crowd, who were totally engrossed in her match, celebrating every point that Sindhu won. Irwansyah, who was behind her, was unsurprisingly totally invested as well. He was egging her on and clapping his hands, giving his nod of approval. Sindhu mixed her game well, employing both her attacking instincts and her defensive shots, to script a 21-15, 21-13 victory over Manami Suizu.

Given the circumstances, this is monumental for the Indian. Sindhu was naturally pleased with her output. "It's good to be back, dominating matches. I'm very happy playing with her because it was our first time, and I think I was prepared for the long rallies," Sindhu told reporters after the match.

"After a break, what I liked about my game today (Thursday) was my movement and my attacks were working well. Moving forward, I need to be ready for anything, because matches will get harder," she added.

Sindhu is mindful that this is just the beginning and she still has a big task ahead of her. "It's crucial to maintain the rhythm and keep giving my best. I need enough recovery after matches and be prepared for the next day."

Up next for Sindhu is Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, a player who has grown in stature in recent years. Tunjung's 2024 highlight was a bronze medal at the Paris Games. The manner in which Sindhu returns against Tunjung could portray a more-accurate picture in regards to where she sits in her current recovery phase.

The coach and the circumstances might be a new territory, but Sindhu is well-versed when it comes to adjusting to different coaching styles. "Adjusting to different coaches with varied philosophies can be difficult, but I've gained a lot from each one. Now, we're focussing more on speed and movement, as I've been coming back from injury. It's important to be smart and injury-free."

Kiran, Sat-Chi advance

Kiran George, who was included in the eleventh hour in the men's singles main draw, now has two wins under his belt. Kiran got the better of Alex Lanier of France, who is regarded to be one of the rising shuttlers in the men's section. After being behind in the early stages, Kiran dug deep to frustrate Lanier before going on to win the contest 22-20, 21-13.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also displayed remarkable fighting qualities to script a three-game victory (20-22, 21-14, 21-16) over the Japanese pair of Kenya Mitushashi and Hiroki Okamura.

"The last time that we played against them, we managed to beat them in straight sets. It should have been the same scoreline this time around but like I said, a few mistakes here and there cost us the game. But the way we came back, I think we didn't really give them a chance," Chirag later reflected.

It was an encouraging day for Sindhu, Kiran and the combination of Satwik and Chirag but it was curtains for the pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto. They were simply no match for Japan's Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto. Panda sisters, Rutuparna and Swetaparna, also lost their second-round women's doubles tie.

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