‘ Chinese not tough to beat’
Fresh from a bronze medal display at the Badminton Asia Championships in Gimcheon, Korea, P. V Sindhu has set her eyes on the Uber Cup which gets under way in the capital on Sunday. “The bronze medal was a sweet victory for me. I of course wanted to get into the semi- finals but unfortunately lost to Wang Shixian,” Sindhu said.
Sindhu started off on a winning note by clinching the first game 21- 15. However, in the sec- ond the world no. 2 found her rhythm and fought hard till the end to clinch the thrilling game 22- 20. Wang ran away with the third game 21- 12.
“The game went down to the wire and I could have it. But it’s okay. At the end of the day one has to win and one has to lose.
“I learnt a lot from that particular game and the entire tournament. I have put the loss behind me and now am gearing up for the Uber Cup,” the 18- year- old said.
Sindhu might be in her teens but she has already created a niche in the badminton fraterni- ty by finding a way to get past the Chinese wall. She enjoys a better head- to- head record over Wang. “The Chinese players are not tough to beat. The better player on the day wins the game,” Sindhu reckoned.
To play at the highest level and keep at it takes a lot more than just hard work. One would agree with the fact that, being mentally fit is as important as being physically fit. For Sindhu, it is always a constant battle between body and mind. But she is up for it.
“During the game all I do is think about the next point. I train really hard on my game and at the same time I look to be at peace with myself. If, I cannot focus on the game then I am in big trouble,” she said.
With the Uber Cup coming up Sindhu has her eyes set on the tourney and looks to continue her attacking style of play.
“The Uber Cup is really important for all of us. We need to stick together and back ourselves to advance into the next round. “Playing for the country is always a special feeling and I would look to stick to my attacking style of play and help the team win,” Sindhu said.