CHENNAI: When the stakes are high, many athletes tend to crumble under pressure. But not PV Sindhu. Regarded as a big-game player, she continues to show just why. Playing in her first knockout game of the ongoing Olympics, the shuttler from Hyderabad showed no signs of nerves to earn a spot in the quarterfinals.
Having won two matches earlier to top Group J, Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt was her victim on Thursday. Blichfeldt, the World No 13, did offer some resistance in the mid stage of the opening round but never looked like she could beat the Indian. Sindhu won 21-15, 21-13 and will go on to face Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, who got the better of Kim Gaeun of South Korea 21-17, 21-8.
Sindhu seemed to be in the zone on the day like she usually is in big tournaments. She mixed her shots well, making her opponent chase the shuttle with some precise placements. Blichfeldt did try to match her opponent, but Sindhu was too clever, always in control of the game.
After she wrapped up the game, she gave a fist pump to her coach Park Tae-sang, who was watching her do what she does best from the side. The body language was clear, she seemed content with her effort. “I started off well. In the first game, I was rushing in defence a bit but my coach told me that I was playing the wrong way and I was able to change how I played,” Sindhu said.
“In the second game, I think it was fine, I maintained the lead and was under control.”
Sindhu’s next test is Yamaguchi. Sindhu, who holds an 11-7 head-to-head record against the Japanese, could possibly face the biggest test of her campaign so far. In their most recent meeting in March during the All England Open, Sindhu had posted a come-from-behind win.
Men’s hockey team in last 8
The Indian men’s hockey team stormed into the quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over defending champions Argentina. After goalless first two quarters, India broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute through Varun Kumar before Vivek Sagar Prasad (58th) and Harmanpreet Singh (59th) struck in the closing minutes of the match to seal the contest.