P.V. Sindhu Looks Back in Form Ahead of the Paris Olympics
India’s star shuttler P.V. Sindhu has had a challenging journey since the Tokyo Olympics where she secured her second Olympic medal. Sindhu won her last BWF World Tour title at the Singapore Open in 2022 and secured a Commonwealth Games Gold the same year. However, she sustained a stress fracture in her left ankle during the Commonwealth Games quarterfinals, leading to a five-month injury layoff.
Sindhu made her comeback at the Malaysian Open in 2023, experiencing a mixed season with four BWF World Tour semifinal appearances and seven first-round exits. Another setback came with a knee injury during the French Open in October 2023, forcing her to retire mid-match. Nevertheless, Sindhu bounced back in February 2024, leading the Indian team to a Gold medal at the Badminton Asia Team Championships.
This article explores her potential to win a historic third medal at the Paris Olympics. Let’s review her 2024 journey so far:
2024 Highlights for P.V. Sindhu:
- French Open (March 2024): Sindhu defeated world number 10 Beiwen Zhang and Canada’s top player Michelle Li before facing reigning Olympic Gold medalist Chen Yufei in the quarterfinals. Despite taking the first set, Sindhu lost the match after 92 minutes of intense play.
- All-England Open: Sindhu faced world number 1 An Se-young of Korea. She put up a strong fight in the first set, losing 21-19, and though she also lost the second set 21-11, her performance indicated her return to form.
- Swiss Open: Just when everything looked under control, Sindhu suffered a setback against Japan’s 17-year-old sensation, Tomoka Miyazaki. Fatigue from back-to-back tournaments played a role in her loss.
- Spain Masters: Sindhu won her first two rounds comfortably but lost to Thai shuttler Supanida Katethong in three sets. Despite the loss, she appeared comfortable on court.
- Badminton Asia Championships (April 2024): Sindhu defeated Malaysia’s top shuttler Goh Jin Wei in the first round but lost to the world number 6 from China, Han Yue, in three sets.
Sindhu opted to skip the Uber Cup in early May to allow young Indian players to compete and to focus on her Olympic preparations.
The Comeback:
Malaysia Masters (May 2024): Sindhu defeated Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour and Korea’s Sim Yu Jin in the first two rounds. She then faced Han Yue, the tournament’s top seed. After taking the first set 21-13 and losing the second 21-14, Sindhu dominated the third set. Sindhu gave no chances to the Chinese in the third set and was leading 9-1 before the interval. The lead extended to 12 points at 17-5, and Sindhu eventually closed the set and the match 21-12. This victory marked her first semifinal appearance in the 2024 BWF World Tour, boosting her Olympic preparations.
In the semifinals, she faced Thai player Busanan Ongbamrungphan. After losing the first set, Sindhu made a comeback to win the next two sets, securing a spot in the final.
Chinese player Wang Zhi Yi, the world number 7 was Sindhu’s opponent in the final. The two-time Olympic medallist engaged in intense, fast-paced rallies, winning the first set 21-16. However, she faltered in the second set, losing 21-5. In the third set, Sindhu held an 11-3 lead at the interval and appeared to be in total control. Nevertheless, Wang made a miraculous comeback, taking the lead at 15-13 and eventually earning six match points. Wang closed out the set and the match 21-16.
To Sindhu’s defense, her previous three matches had all gone to three sets, and the exhaustion was evident in her third game. Despite having an eight-point lead before the interval, she couldn’t secure the win.
This was Sindhu’s first BWF World Tour Super-500 final in two years, and the signs look promising as she prepares for the Paris Olympics in about two months.
Updates –
#1 Singapore Open 2024 (June 2024): Sindhu won her first-round encounter comfortably against Line Kjærsfeldt from Denmark in straight sets. In her second-round match, she faced her long time rival Carolina Marin from Spain.
The two-time Olympic medallist won the first set with a dominating score of 20-13. Marin fought back to win the second set 21-11. The final set was a thriller, with Sindhu leading 15-10 after the interval. When Sindhu was ahead 19-17, Marin took three straight points to gain the first match point opportunity. Sindhu saved one match point, but after an error in judgment, Marin won the set and the match 22-20.
Also read, Unveiling The Unforgettable Story of Arvind Bhat: A Remarkable Triumph at the 2014 German Open