SINDHU RISING
India’s silver star has been on the rise since her run at Rio 2016. Now, she’s one notch away from the top
When the Badminton World Federation (BWF) unveiled its weekly rankings on Thursday, April 6, P.V. Sindhu’s superlative showing gained global recognition. India’s star badminton player had moved up to No. 2 from No. 5.
That may seem like a small improvement, but it is not an easy climb. Sindhu has been toiling her way to the top ever since she took the world by storm in August last year, by reaching the badminton finals of the 2016 Rio Olympics. At the time, she returned home with the silver medal—the best Indian result in Olympic Badminton—having lost to Spain’s Carolina Marin in the finals. Since then, Sindhu has focused on her all-round game. She has already avenged her Olympic defeat—twice—by beating Marin in the BWF Super Series in Dubai last December, and before a home crowd at New Delhi’s Siri Fort Sports Complex on April 2 this year, winning her first Yonex India Open Super Series title in the process. At the end, it seemed a facile win. Facing match point, Marin, the current world and Olympic champion, netted a return. But when Sindhu raised her arms in the air and shouted in triumph, she vividly displayed the grit of a fighter.
PEDAL TO THE METAL
Both Sindhu’s persona and playing style have developed. She carries herself on court with greater poise and confidence than before, and begins her matches having gauged her opponent thoroughly. “I have to [be able to] change my game and strategy at every point, every shot and every second by anticipating my rivals, who are also among the world’s best,” says Sindhu. “Home work about [opponents] and hard work during training are sure shots for ultimate success.”
The new confidence helped Sindhu win against the aggressive Marin at the Yonex India Open. This match was their ninth meeting, and Sindhu had lost to Marin five times before. Even so, and despite dropping the opening point, Sindhu conceded the lead just twice—at 17-18 and 18-19. Keeping the pressure on Marin gave her the edge to dictate the course of the match.
“What she has perceived and practised after Rio is physical and psychological preparedness in pinpointing and dealing with pressure points,” says Pullela Gopichand, her personal coach of over a decade and now India’s chief coach. “This is what enables a champion to squarely face the challenge of competition.”
Another change is her improved agility. She is smoother on the court, her feet moving well. She has learned to keep up the intensity and momentum, whether playing high tosses, deceitful drop shots, long rallies, lunging pickups or stunning smashes.
JUST REWARDS
Sindhu remains unwavering in her commitment to training and practice. This is despite the fact that postRio, she has emerged as the most rewarded sportswoman, surpassing the earnings of the feisty Sania Mirza and badminton’s own Saina Nehwal, bagging a three-year deal with sports management firm Baseline, valued at Rs 50 crore. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has even offered to induct her into the state administrative service when she’s done with badminton. Nonetheless, the success isn’t going to Sindhu’s head. She has declared two caveats to any endorsement deal that come up— she refuses to endorse brands perceived as having a negative influence, such as cola drinks, and will not allow commercial commitments to affect her training and practice schedule.
Badminton remains uppermost for her. Yet, there remains the glorious uncertainty of the sport itself. Tournament draws can throw up stiff challenges in early rounds. Sindhu has learnt to cope with this too, allowing her to take on and outplay one-time peer Saina Nehwal for the first time in her career at the India Open. In their only other encounter, at the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold Tournament in 2014, Nehwal won 21-14 , 21-17.
The 1.79 metre tall Sindhu, who turns 22 on July 5, reached her career best ranking when she broke into the top five earlier this year. Now, at No. 2, the journey forward is even more arduous. Saina Nehwal has already had the distinction of being ranked the best in the world, albeit briefly, in 2015. Sindhu’s performance so far suggests that she could have a much longer run of it.