New Delhi: Conversations on the eve of a major championship and body language reveal much about the mindset a player brings into the tournament. There are prodding questions from the media about the build-up, revisiting past demons and head-to-head records. The difference is stark in how an accomplished player and a newcomer, who might be concentrating hard to shut out all the background noise, react.
PV Sindhu’s poise a day before the BWF World Championships reflected her stellar career. Her legacy is intertwined with the tournament. For three successive editions, from 2017 to 2019, she made it to the final, eventually becoming the world champion by beating long-time Japanese rival Nozomi Okuhara in Basel, winning her fifth and last medal. It has been a struggle for Sindhu, 31, in the last few years, but this season with the Worlds coming home, Sindhu seems to have found fresh energy.
The Japan Open victory last month ended her two-year title drought. “It’s almost seven years since I won a medal at the World Championships, and I hope to get a medal here. I am really excited to have a World Championships in front of a home crowd. The Japan win has given me a lot of confidence. I am hoping for good crowd support and will take one match at a time,” said Sindhu.
At the Worlds, her journey began in 2013, when she took out two formidable Chinese players — then defending champion and Olympic medallist Wang Yihan and Wang Shixian — and claimed bronze. Thai Ratchanok Intanon beating the feared Li Xuerui broke China’s back and halted their golden run, which included 15 world titles in 19 editions.
A new generation of players had swept into world badminton, taking the sport to an exciting level and giving rise to rivalry after rivalry. That included Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Carolina Marin, Okuhara, Intanon and Akane Yamaguchi, and later Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei and Korea’s An Se-young, the world No.1. Since Wang in 2011, China has not won a women’s singles title in 10 editions. The simmering rivalries that have shaped women’s singles for more than a decade will continue in here, starting Monday.
Every defeat Sindhu suffered made her stronger, and she recalls some of those moments that shaped her career. The blockbuster 2017 final against Okuhara, where the two battled for almost two hours, was a moment of great heartbreak but also pushed her become the player she is.
“Every medal at Worlds was a different experience for me, starting with bronze in 2013 and 2014, then two silver medals and then gold. The transition happened in such a wonderful way. There were moments that made me stronger, like when I lost the 2017 final after playing a very hard-fought match, one hour and 50 minutes, against Okuhara in Glasgow and I lost (the decider) 22-20. That was hard. I was very hard on myself because I was almost there. I lost again in 2018 after having the lead in the first game. And when I won the gold, it was an amazing moment.”
A podium finish at home would be the icing on the cake for her. As she begins her campaign against Sophia Nobel on Monday, she will count on her experience.
“Earlier, women’s singles was more attacking and faster. The game is always evolving. It is now longer rallies and staying on court for longer periods. This requires a lot more patience. I am more experienced at dealing with drift, controlling the shuttle. When things don’t go exactly as planned, you have to adapt. And the hunger for the sport has not changed. I still have that hunger, and I know that I can still do it.”
High hopes on Lakshya, Ayush
Like Sindhu, Lakshya Sen also pushes himself more on the big stage. Having reached the All England final this year where he beat Shi Yuqi, Lakshya would be looking to make a mark here. A bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships was the first breakthrough for him. “I try and peak during these weeks of the year. When you are playing so many tournaments, it’s hard at times to be at your physical best all the time, but a World Championships is when you want to come in fresh and sharp,” said Lakshya.
“I feel Indian players will have the advantage of the home crowd, and we have been training here. It’s important to make a good start and find rhythm early on.” Lakshya will face Collins Valentine Filimon of Austria in his first match of the 64-player draw on Tuesday.
In men’s singles, Ayush Shetty will be the first Indian in action on Monday, against defending champion Shi Yuqi. Shetty has created ripples this season, winning an Asian Championships silver medal and producing some big wins along the way. But here he will have a tough match up first up. Shetty has lost to the world No.1 twice but has also pushed him close, and a blockbuster opening from the young Indian would be a perfect start for the hosts.
