PV Sindhu
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The authorship of this page
The Times of India 2013/08/10
The Times of India, May 9, 2015
Manne Ratnakar The Times of India, Oct 19 2015
The Times of India, November 30, 2015
Prasanna Venkatesan, The Hindu December 10, 2015
Early life
Height: 1.79 m
College: St. Ann's College for Women
Parents: P. V. Ramana, P. Vijaya
Pusarla Venkata Sindhu was born (on July 5, 1995) into a family of volleyball players — her father PV Ramana captained the Indian volleyball team and her mother Vijaya too was a national-level player — Sindhu got attracted to badminton when Gopi won the All England championships in 2001. Though volleyball was what they talked about at home, Sindhu was inspired by Gopi and when she expressed her desire to play badminton her parents encouraged her. Inspired by her iconic mentor, Pullela Gopichand’s exploits on court, she started wielding the racquet at the age of eight.
Since then she has been training at the Pullela Gopichand Academy
Her struggles started once she joined the Gopichand Academy. She lived at the Railway Colony in Secunderabad and had to travel about 40 km everyday to reach the academy at the other end of town. However, Sindhu never missed a session. Realising that travel made her weary, Gopi advised her father to shift home.
Ramana obliged and now it was his turn to travel 40 km to work. But he was confident that under Gopi’s tutelage his daughter would blossom.
Her indomitable spirit has always been the most talked about feature of her game. “The most striking feature of Sindhu’s game is her attitude and never-say-die spirit,” remarked her coach.
Career progression
In 2012 at the London Olympics Sindhu was ranked World No. 25. She broke into the Top 20 in 2012. She attained her highest career ranking of 9 in 2014. In Aug 2016, during the Rio Olympics, she was ranked no. 10 in the world.
2016-19: Sindhu in the finals
Manne Ratnakar, August 26, 2019: The Times of India
TURNING IT AROUND
From Olympics in 2016, Sindhu has now won six finals (including World Championships) and lost 11 finals. Her final losses since 2016 Olympics:
August 19, 2016: Lost to Carolina Marin in Olympics final.
November 27, 2016: Lost to Tai Tzu Ying in Hong Kong Open.
August 27, 2017: Lost to Nozomi Okuhara at the World Championships.
November 2017: Lost to Tai Tzu Ying at Hong Kong Open.
December 2017: Lost to Akane Yamaguchi at World Super Series Finals in Dubai.
February 2018: Lost to Beiwen Zhang at India Open.
April 2018: Lost to Saina Nehwal at Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
July 2018: Lost to Nozomi Okuhara at Thailand Open.
August 2018: Lost to Carolina Marin at World Championships in Nanjing, China.
August 2018: Lost to Tai Tzu Ying at Asian Games in Jakarta.
July 21, 2019: Lost to Akane Yamaguchi at the Indonesia Open.
2019: World Champion
From: Manne Ratnakar, August 26, 2019: The Times of India
See graphic, ‘PV Sindhu- The toad to 2019 World title’
Till July 2023
Manne Ratnakar, July 27, 2023: The Times of India
From: Manne Ratnakar, July 27, 2023: The Times of India
See graphic:
Sindhu’s career till July 2023
HIGHS
➤ Silver medallist at 2016 Olympics
➤ Bronze medallist at 2020 Olympics
➤Only Indian woman to win two straight Olympic medals
➤ Only Indian badminton World champion (2019)
➤ Won 1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals at World championships
➤Commonwealth Games women’s champion (2022)
➤ BWF World Tour Finals champion (2021)
➤ Won 4 BWF Tour titles and 6 runner-up finishes
LOWS
➤ Navicular stress fracture kept her out for six months in 2015
➤ No BWF titles in 2021 & 2023 (so far)
➤ Stress fracture of left foot during Commonwealth Games in August 2022, which kept her out of the game till January 2023
➤ Slipped out of top-10 in 2023
➤ 7 first round losses in 2023
➤ Reached only one final in 2023 so far
Competitors
P V Sindhu vs Carolina Marin
Feroz Khan, PV Sindhu v Carolina Marin: The rivalry so far, Apr 2, 2017: The Times of India
HIGHLIGHTS
Marin leads in head to head battles against Sindhu, winning five of the nine encounters
In their first meeting at 2010 BWF World Junior Championships Sindhu defeated Marin 21-17, 21-19
In 2016 Dubai World Superseries Finals Sindhu downed Carolina 21-17, 21-13
PV Sindhu will lock horns against the top seed Carolina Marin in the India Open Super Series 2017 final.PV Sindhu will lock horns against the top seed Carolina Marin in the India Open Super Series 2017 final.
April 2017 added another chapter in what is becoming a storied rivalry between ace shuttlers PV Sindhu and Carolina Marin. In their respective semi-final clashes, the duo recorded contrasting victories to set up a mouth-watering summit clash in the women's singles event of the 2017 India Open Super Series.
While Carolina breezed past fourth seed Akane Yamaguchi 21-16, 21-4 in straight games, PV Sindhu won a hotly contested semi-final against Sung Ji Yun to win 21-18, 18-21, 21-14 at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in New Delhi. It will be the 10th time that the two will square-off at an international event. So far, the Spaniard leads in head to head battles against the Indian, winning five of the nine encounters including the final of the Rio Olympics in August 2016.
A timeline:
World Junior Championships 2010 | Sindhu wins in straight games
It was their first meeting at the international level. At the 2010 BWF World Junior Championships, held in Mexico, Sindhu defeated Marin 21-17, 21-19 in a women's singles match.
Maldives Challenge 2011 | Sindhu wins in three games
In their first meeting at the senior level, Sindhu again prevailed over Carolina, beating her 21-7, 15-21, 21-13 in the third round. Sindhu went on to win the tournament after getting a walkover against compatriot PC Thulasi in the final.
Australian Open 2014 | Carolina wins in straight games
There years later, they met again and this time at the Australian Open 2014. For this first time in their meetings, Carolina tasted victory at international level, halting the Indian's march in the quarterfinals with a straight game 21-17, 21-17 victory. The Spanish Queen however, clashed with Saina Nehwal in the title clash and lost 18-21, 11-21.
World Championships 2014 | Carolina wins in straight games
Two months later in the same year, they faced each other in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Championships in Copenhagen and for the second successive time, Carolina walked away with a 21-17, 21-15 victory. In fact, Carolina went on to win the crown for the second consecutive time, beating China's Li Xuerui (21-8, 21-14) in the final. Sindhu, though won a historic second successive bronze.
Syed Modi International Grand Prix 2015 | Carolina wins in straight games
They were to again clash in a semi-final of an event and this time on Sindhu's home turf. But Carolina went on to complete a hat-trick of wins against the Indian. She registered a rather easy 21-13, 21-13 win. Eerily, in a repeat of the 2014 Australian Open where Carolina had also eliminated Sindhu in the knockouts but lost to Saina in the final, the former world no 1 lost the title match 21-19, 23-25, 16-21 against, well, Saina.
By 2015, Carolina had established herself as one of the premier shuttlers. She went on to face Sindhu in the semi-finals of the Denmark Open Superseries 2015. She was favourite for the clash considering her past record against the Indian but Sindhu stunned her in three games to win 21-15, 18-21, 21-17 but lost in the final against Li Xuerui (19-21, 12-21).
Hong Kong Superseries 2015 | Carolina wins in straight games
In the following month, they met in the opening round of the Hong Kong Superseries. Carolina went on to improve her overall record to 4-3 after emerging victorious 21-17, 21-9. She went all the way to the final and clinched the title beating Nozomi Okuhara of Japan 21-17, 18-21, 22-20.
Rio Olympics 2016 | Carolina wins in three games
The biggest prize. Billion-plus eyes glued to their TV screens. Sindhu v Carolina in Olympic final. The match lived up to its billing. There was heartbreak for Sindhu who gave a close competition in a match that lasted three games before losing 21-19, 12-21, 15-21 to return home with a historic silver. She also became the first female from India to win an Olympian silver.
Dubai World Super Series Finals 2016 | Sindhu wins in straight games
It wasn't long before Sindhu would get a chance to exact revenge. At the year-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals, she downed Carolina 21-17, 21-13. Sindhu went on to reach the semi-finals where she lost to Sung Ji Hyun and Carolina had to return winless, losing all three of her group matches.
Endorsements
2019: Rs 50-crore deal with Li Ning
Star Shuttler Announces Four-Year Deal With Chinese Sports Brand
PV Sindhu’s popularity graph continues to soar. On Friday, it emerged that India’s star shuttler had signed a new multi-crore deal with popular Chinese sports brand Li Ning. The four-year deal announced on Friday will fetch Sindhu Rs 50 crore according to Mahendra Kapoor, director, Sunlight Sports Pvt Ltd, the multi-national exclusive partner of Li Ning in India.
“We are happy to be associated with Sindhu once again. The four-year deal will be close to Rs 50 crore. It is one of the biggest, similar to Virat Kohli’s 10-year deal worth Rs 100 crore with Puma. Sindhu will get Rs 40 crore as sponsorship while the rest will be for equipment, so it is close to Rs 50 crore,” Kapoor told ToI and added that they are looking forward to a long term association with Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth.
Sindhu is the only Indian shuttler to win an Olympic silver and World championships silver. After her Olympic feat, Sindhu had signed a landmark deal with Baseline Ventures, a sports management company, worth more than Rs 100 crore. As part of that management deal, this will be the 14th product to be endorsed by the badminton star.
In January this year, Srikanth had signed a Rs 35 crore deal with Li Ning. “According to us, the Indian players are being paid less. We are looking forward to having a long association with Sindhu, Srikanth and the other Indian players. We want to support them even after their retirement. They had moved to Yonex last time for some reason, but it will not happen again,” Kapoor added.
“I’m happy to be associated with Li Ning again,” Sindhu told TOI. Li Ning also wants to provide coaching support to Sindhu and Srikanth. “Our aim is to see that Sindhu and Srikanth win Olympic gold next year,” he said.
Sindhu and Srikanth were with Li Ning for two years before moving to Yonex. It is learnt that Sindhu’s deal with Yonex was worth Rs 1.5 crore approx per year. Sindhu’s father PV Ramana said, “It’s a very good deal for Sindhu. Li Ning takes very good care of the players. I hope this association will help Sindhu become a better player.”
2009-10: Early victories
Sindhu justified the faith by winning a bronze at the sub-junior Asian Badminton Championships in 2009. The next year she reached the quarters of the World Junior Championships.
She was a team member of the Indian squad in Uber Cup in 2010.
2012
She won the Asian youth under-19 championship in July 2012.
Sindhu made the world sit up and take notice when she stunned Olympic champion Li Xuerui at the Chinese Masters in Changzhou a month the Chinese superstar became the Olympic champion in 2012.
Sindhu claimed her first major international title by clinching the Malaysian Grand Prix gold in May.
2013/ Dragon slayer, giant killer
She followed up that good work by dethroning world champion Wang Yihan in 2013.
In Sindhu’s case, 2013 turned out to be significant. She won her maiden grand prix gold at the Malaysian Open, created the aforementioned Indian record in the World championships held at Guangzhou and went on to win the first of her hat-trick of titles at the Macau Open.
A reward in the form of Arjuna award was the icing on the cake.
Chinese shuttlers are almost invincible on home turf but Pusarla Venkata Sindhu tamed them twice in Aug 2013 and thrice 2012-13.
The 18-year-old then hit a rough patch but recovered to down reigning Asian Games gold medallist and former All England champion Shixian Wang at the Asian Badminton Championships in April 2013. On Thursday, she dethroned world champ Wang Yihan before extending her career record against Shixian to 2-0 on Friday.
Sindhu has dominated twotime All-England champion Shixian Wang, beating her four times in six meetings (till 2016).
2013: Historic wins and a defeat
Her victory against Shixian in Aug 2013 ensured her a bronze at the Worlds, a feat never achieved by any Indian woman in singles.
Sindhu faced Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon in the semifinal. Like the Indian, Ratchanok too was 18 and had developed a reputation of being a giantkiller.
Pre- semifinal RANKING: PV Sindhu (Ind): 12 Ratchanok Intanon (Tha): 3
Pre- semifinal Head To Head: 0-1
2014
PV Sindhu reached the semifinal stage of Glasgow Commonwealth Games in the women’s singles competition.
She was given FICCI Breakthrough Sportsperson of the Year in 2014
Saina Nehwal clinched the China Open (top spot) (PTI |PV Sindhu wins maiden China Open Super Series title, Nov 20, 2016)
2015
Sindhu was just nineteen but had already won two bronze medals in the World Championships -afeat no other Indian has been able to manage thus far -and is fast catching up with her illustrious senior, world No. 2 Saina Nehwal.
In 2015 playing at the Denmark Open, Sindhu reached to her maiden final of a Super Series event.
In March 2015, P.V. Sindhu became the youngest recipient of the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour.
2015, Denmark Open: reaches finals, loses
Sindhu beat Carolina Marin, the world No 1, 21-15, 18-21, 21-17 across 72 minutes, her first win over the Spaniard in four outings.
Sindhu reached her maiden Super Series final
Sindhu falters at final hurdle
Olympic champion Li Xuerui ended the dream run of PV Sindhu 21-19, 21-12 in the final of the Denmark Open Superseries Premier in Odense on Sunday .The 20-year-old Indian failed to stop the resurgent former world No.1 in the 47-minute battle. Sindhu, who demolished three top rankers including the reigning world champion Carolina Marin in the last three days, looked good when she led 16-10 in the first game.
It was here the lanky shuttler committed three net faults allowing Xuerui to make a comeback. The experienced Xuerui seized the opportunity .Sindhu should have varied her attack here. Rather than continuing in the smashing mode, the unseeded Indian should have tried the half smashes. Xuerui, who is the defending champion, first reduced the lead to 13-16 and then with another five-point burst went ahead to 18-17.
At 18-20, Sindhu saved a game point to move to 19-20. It was here Sindhu made the biggest error of the match when she misjudged the line call.
2015: Wins Grand Prix, Macau
PV Sindhu extended her unbeaten reign in Macau and achieved a rare hat-trick at the $120,000 Grand Prix Gold tournament with a convincing 21-19, 2123, 21-14 victory against MinatsuMitani of Japan in the final. The 20-year-old, who lost al most half of 2015 to a heel injury, not only ended her title drought but also brought cheer to the Indian ranks, starved as they have been for titles in the last six months. Sindhu's victory at the former Portuguese colony is the best performance by an Indian shuttler after the twin title triumphs of SainaNehwal and Kidambi Srikanth at the India Open Super series in March 2015.
Interestingly, it was during the period of Macau Open in 2014 that Sindhu had suffered a navicular stress fracture on her left foot. Unfortunately, the injury , which was very difficult to identify , was not diagnosed for about two months. It was during the Nationals at Vijayawada that a scan revealed the fracture.
2016
In early 2016 Sindhu displayed middling form, which saw her exit a few tournaments at the quarter-final stage. The only title she won in 2016 was the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold, where she beat Scotland's Kristy Gilmour 21-15, 21-9. She was runner up to her compatriot Gadde Ruthvika Shivani in the South Asian Games, her second best result.
2016, Sindhu won the Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold women’s singles title.
She registered an Olympics berth after the BWF world rankings were released in May
Historic success at the Rio Olympics
However, in August Pusarla Venkata Sindhu became the first Indian, male or female, to enter an Olympic Badminton final, after defeating 6th-ranked Nozomi Okuhara 2-0 (21-19, 21-10)
The route to the finals PV Sindhu marked the start with a facile win in the women's individual competition. She brushed aside her opponent Laura Sarosi of Hungary 21-8, 21-9, starting off on a superb note and managing to hold onto the advantage.
Sindhu entered the pre-quarters with a gruelling 72-minute win over Canada's Michelle Li 21-19, 21-15
Quarter finals She then had a very tough match against the world No 2 and London Olympics silver medalist Wang Yihan of China. Sindhu trailed by 10-12 and was later 20-20 but maintained her calm to win two points and take an intense first game. In the end, she beat Yihan - seven years older than she - 22-20, 21-19 to become the second Indian after Saina Nehwal to reach the last four at the Olympics.
In the semi-finals she beat Japan's Nozomi Okuhara - ranked sixth in the world - in straight sets 21-19, 21-10, spanning 51 minutes.
In the semi-finals she beat Japan's Nozomi Okuhara - ranked sixth in the world - in straight sets 21-19, 21-10, spanning 51 minutes.
Sindhu dominated the first game with some beautiful backhand flicks and cross-court smashes. The initial exchanges were close, as underlined by margins of 5-3, 6-4 and 7-4, but as the game progressed Sindhu's stamina and strength came to the fore. A fierce smash down the left side of her opponent's court set up a five-point advantage. Repeatedly pushed back, and twice falling to the floor, Okuhara had a few tough moments but still rallied to make it 13-15 before an error in judgement in front of the net put Sindhu three points ahead. The Japanese shuttler did not buckle, to her credit, but was struggling by the time the first game ended 21-19 in Sindhu's favour after 27 minutes.
The 21-year-old made a jittery start to the second game, down 3-5 in the first few minutes. A terrific smash right into the centre of the court leveled it 5-5, and then a beautiful smash angled across Okuhara made it 7-6. Okuhara didn't buckle, which meant that the second game was far more intense than the first. Serve after serve, return after return, smash after smash, Sindhu and Okuhara went at it, adding to the allure of a riveting contest. This was sport at its best, neither opponent ready to concede an inch but in the end, Sindhu rose too far beyond Okhura.
At times she glided the shuttle off her racquet, either across the court or just over the next, with deftness; then, suddenly, she smashed it with a ferocity as unexpected as thunder on a sunny afternoon. When she fell behind, she fought back, her shots resulting in advances of at times thundering ferocity across the canvas of the badminton court. This was wristy magic, delivered with high arms while her long legs remained symmetrical in motion. Some points won were not just through flicks of the wrist, but with the grace of sensual sinews. When she nailed the winning smash, making it 21-10, Sindhu let out a roar. And India jumped to its feet. (Jamie Alter | TNN | Aug 18, 2016)
THE HISTORIC FINALS
Sindhu, tenth in the global rankings, lost to Spain's Carolina Marin, ranked No 1, 21-12, 12-21, 15-21 to settle for silver.
Sindhu had rallied superbly to come back from 6-11 and win the first game, to the delight of her nation, but it needed something far greater to beat a champion like Marin, who has done more for Spanish badminton than Rafael Nadal has for tennis.
Sindhu had had with five wins in a row, the last two of which came over the world No 2 and No 5 respectively. On the biggest day of her career, Sindhu never stopped fighting and has won the biggest prize in the history of Indian badminton - an Olympic silver, to go past Saina Nehwal's bronze four years ago in London.
Sindhu struggled during the initial exchanges, in particular against some lovely drop shots from the left-hander. Down 3-7, then 5-8 and 5-9, then 10-13. There was Sindhu for a period, at once on her knees, made to look uncomfortable, her brow furrowed as she looked at her racquet net. But she fought hard, reducing twice the deficit to a solitary point as Marin committed a flurry of errors.
Marin smashed one to lead 19-16. Surely the game was hers? No, no. Sindhu persevered, returning serves with precision and power, and the scoreline went from 17-19 to 18-19 to 19-19 and then 20-19 as chants of 'jeetega bhai jeetega' reverberated from the sizable Indian support in the stands. It was nail-biting badminton.
Then Marin messed up a return against a superb flick from Sindhu, forced to turn as she ran backward, and the shuttle flopped in her half. Sindhu roared, pumped her fists. The first game was hers.
But Marin is a champion, and went up 4-0 in the second game, then 8-2. Her shots and returns regained a heartbeat, she pushed Sindhu into errors and the momentum was snatched back. A nine-point advantage was punctuated by a ferocious smash to which Sindhu had no answer. The rest of the game saw Sindhu frustrated repeatedly, and despite scattered moments of aggression she fell behind 12-21.
The decisive third game initially went Marin's way 6-1, but Sindhu kept hitting back. Three straight points reduced the deficit to two points (10-8), which turned into 10-10 after a teasing, gasp-inducing rally full of brilliance. An error in judgement from Sindhu put her back 14-10, then Marin won a review, 16-12; a shot went out, 16-14; Marin smashed into Sindhu's body, 17-14; a dab past Sindhu and it was 18-14 and that was the shift that Marin needed to round out a dominant win. (Jamie Alter | TNN | Aug 19, 2016)
Andhra, Telangana both claim Sindhu
Aug 24 2016 : Arun Kumar Govindraj The Times of India (Delhi) Whose Sindhu is she anyway!
The tale of one-upmanship between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana continued for a third day with Chandrababu Naidu declaring Pusarla Venkata Sindhu as “Andhra Pradesh's muddu bidda (beloved daughter)“ and granting 15 acres of land to her mentor Pullela Gopichand in Amaravati to set up a world class badminton academy Gopichand's academy in Hyderabad stands on 5 acre of land which too was a largesse from Naidu when he was chief minister of united AP .
Soon after Sindhu won the silver, Naidu quickly announced a Rs 3 crore cash reward for her along with a 1,000 square yard residential plot in AP's upcoming capital Amaravati. He also offered her Group I officer's post of special grade deputy collector in the AP government.On Tuesday an appointment order was kept ready for her, but Sindhu declined the offer. Telangana government biggies who had tweeted that a Rs 1 crore cash reward would be given to Sindhu upped the offer to Rs 5 crore soon after Naidu declared his intent to give Rs 3 crore.
“Both Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana CM Chandrasekhar Rao fought over Hyderabad at the time of bifurcation and are warring over Sindhu now. Naidu's council of ministers have gone a step ahead by claiming Sindhu as AP's Telugu ammayi (daughter).“ KCR's daughter and Nizamabad MP K Kavitha, too, wasn't far behind. “If Sindhu wins gold, we would present a `golden bonam' (an offering to goddess Mahankali) in true Telangana style,“ she had said.
The economic rewards
The economic rewards of Sindhu’s Olympic silver medal of 2016 run into tens of crore (hundreds of million) rupees. For details see The Olympics: India (1900-2016) > Olympic medallists, 2012, 2016: Rewards> PV Sindhu.
Excerpts from a post-Olympic silver medal interview
Aug 31 2016 : The Times of India (Delhi)
The Times of India: Your coach (Gopichand) has some superstitions. Does he insist that you should also follow them? Was that why you repeated the same yellow dress in the semi-final and final?
No. Gopi sir never insists on such things. The rule is that the two players cannot wear the same colour. I wanted to wear red but then she (Carolina) wore that.
Since last year in Delhi to Rio Olympics, you have added a lot of aggressive strokes to your repertoire. Did you spend the whole year preparing shots like backhand flicks and smashes?
Yes. I have been practising each and every stroke, not one particular stroke. Every year, step by step, I have been improving. Each stroke is totally different and needs to be prepared differently . Definitely I have improved a lot since last year. I think it's very important that you learn strokes. But once you get a stroke, it's not like `okay I have got that stroke'.You have to still make it perfect.
Carolina spoke about the mind games.She said she played some mind games.How fair was it?
Carolina is a very aggressive player. She is left-handed. The gamesmanship is always there. So I was prepared for that. I didn't get irritated or annoyed thinking that she's changing shuttles too often.
People keep talking about your height and its advantages. But surely there must be some downside to it also?
There are advantages and disadvantages. I think the bending part is a disadvantage. Reach is always good but they (opponents) make you bend, they play drop shots and then you have to bend more.
In sports, there is a lot of focus on how you look and we saw a different avatar of you during an event in Hyderabad. Will we see more of that?
(Smiling) Maybe yes. It is also important to look good, you know. Recently, I have been working with [stylist] Shravya Varma, who is also from Hyderabad.
There is talk that your second bronze at the World championships prompted Saina [Nehwal] to leave Gopi. What do you think?
I don't think it's about what I did. It's about what she wants. She felt that she wanted to go somewhere else, so she left.
Do you think you gained from her leaving, in the sense that Gopichand could give you more attention?
Nothing like that but he (Gopi) has always been very supportive to all the players he looks after. Even at that time (when Saina left), I was much junior. He used to train her first thing in the morning. Gopi sir gives equal share of attention to each and every player.
2017
Wins India Open
Saumyajit Basu | SHUTTLE QUEEN |Apr 03 2017 : The Times of India (Delhi)
The triumph was of Olympic proportions even if the occasion may not be so.
PV Sindhu, poster girl of Indian badminton, exacted sweet revenge over her Rio nemesis, Carolina Marin in the final of $325000 Yonex Sunrise India Open Super Series.
Sindhu excelled every moment of 47 minutes she stayed on court to make it a memorable 21-19, 21-16 victory
In an international career already into its sixth year, the 21year old has bagged two Super Series titles (China and India Open), two bronze medals at the Worlds and an Olympic silver medal. Sindhu's graph has only gone northward ever since Gopi introduced her to the Indian team for the 2010 Uber Cup.
World Championship, Glasgow
SINDHU GOES DOWN FIGHTING IN THRILLING WORLD FINAL, Aug 28 2017, The Times of India
P V Sindhu fell agonisingly short of becoming the first Indian to win a badminton World Championship, losing a marathon 110-minute final to Japan's Nozomi Okuhara 19-21, 22-20, 20-22 in Glasgow on Sunday. The match, hailed as possibly the greatest in World Championship history, featured incredible rallies -with one going up to 73 shots -as the exhausted finalists battled to the bitter end. The 22-year-old Okuhara had lost to Sindhu in the semifinals of the Rio Olympics, but had a dream run at Glasgow, defeating defending champ Carolina Marin in the quarterfinals and Saina Nehwal in the semifinals.
First Indian To Win Korea Open
Manne Ratnakar, Sep 18 2017: The Times of India
Downs Okuhara In Thrilling Final To Become First Indian To Win Prestigious Korea Open
It took PV Sindhu just a fortnight to transform the sorrow of Glasgow into joy on a bright Sunday in Seoul. Denied by a hair's breadth in the world championships not long ago, Sindhu turned the tide in her favour to outlast Nozomi Okuhara and become the first Indian to clinch the Korea Open Super Series title.
The final looked just like a sequel to the 110-minute final in the Scottish city -Sindhu and her Japanese rival were involved in another epic energy-sapping one-hour, 23-minute duel with the lanky Indian finally prevailing with a 22-20, 11-21, 21-18 scoreline.
December 2017/ BWF World Superseries Finals, won silver
December 17, 2017: The Times of India
HIGHLIGHTS
Sindhu went down fighting against Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the summit clash
Had Sindhu won, she would have become the first India player to win World Superseries Finals title
Sindhu had thrashed Yamaguchi in straight games in her Group A match
Top Indian shuttler PV Sindhu suffered yet another final loss, going down fighting against World No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in a pulsating women's singles summit clash of the BWF World Superseries Finals.
In the prestigious season-ending tournament finale, Sindhu played her hearts out before losing 21-15, 12-21, 19-21 to Yamaguchi in an energy-sapping summit clash that lasted an hour and 31 minutes.
"It has been a good year and I ended the year with another good tournament and won a silver. I will look to play next year with the same confidence and hope to go further," Sindhu said after the match.
The 22-year-old came agonisingly close to clinching the title before finishing runner-up once again in her third major tournament, following last year's Rio Olympics and this year's Glasgow World Championship. In scenes similar to the World Championship final in Glasgow in August, the summit clash here went down to the wire as the duo engaged in a battle of attrition and nerves.
Playing her fourth final of the season, Sindhu logged the first point with a magnificent down the line smash. However, a couple of unforced errors and a wrong judgement at the baseline allowed Yamaguchi to make it 3-2. A lucky net chord gave another point to the Japanese. However, Sindhu unleashed a superb cross court smash to draw parity at 5-5.
The Indian went wide next and another lucky net chord saw Yamaguchi open a 7-5 lead. The Japanese produced another cross court return to gain another point before Sindhu grabbed six straight points to turn the tables.
Sindhu won a couple of points before levelling 8-8 after closing out a pulsating rally, consisting of 33 shots, with a overhead return. She led 10-8 before entering the break with a three-point advantage after producing another scintillating cross court smash on her rival's backhand.
After the interval, Sindhu moved to 13-8 after grabbing two points. Yamaguchi grabbed three points, which included a successful video referral, to narrow the lead to 11-14. The racquet slipped out of Sindhu's hand and then she found the net as Yamaguchi breathed down her neck at 13-14.
The Japanese, however, could not capilatise as she hit wide and Sindhu unleashed two sensational returns, including a quick return on serve, to once again open up a five-point cushion. The Indian finally earned seven game point opportunities with a quick smash near the court. Yamaguchi saved two game points before Sindhu's cross court smash came to her rescue as the Indian pocketed the first game in 23 minutes.
In second game, Sindhu came out all cylinders blazing as she zoomed to a 5-0 lead. However, the Indian was called for a service fault and she ended up giving another point to her rival, before a wide shot from the Japanese took her to 6-2.
A couple of unforced errors by Sindhu allowed Yamaguchi to narrow the gap to 7-8. The Japanese then set up the next point superbly, closing it with a body smash to draw parity at 8-8.
Yamaguchi then opened up a 10-8 lead after winning another exhausting rally before entering the break with a two-point advantage. Sindhu missed the line twice to allow Yamaguchi lead 13-10. The Japanese consolidated on the lead to swell to 15-11. The Indian seemed slightly exhausted and ended up committing unforced errors. It helped Yamaguchi to grab the second game and roar back into the contest.
In the decider, Sindhu opened up a 4-0 lead early on, which included winning an engrossing rally comprising 51 shots. However, Yamaguchi once again clawed her way back to 5-5 with a body smash and an onrushing return at the backline.
Sindhu again eked out a 8-6 lead with a return on her rival's forehand. Yamaguchi too missed the line again as the Indian led 9-7. A backhand tap near the net gave another point to Sindhu, who entered the interval with a three-point advantage after Yamaguchi sent another to the net.
After the change of ends, Yamaguchi narrowed the deficit to 10-11 before Sindhu grabbed a point after being goaded by an animated India coach Pullela Gopichand from the sidelines. At 13-12, Sindhu missed the line again after another rally to allow Yamaguchi draw parity. What ensued next was yet another engrossing rally where the Indian returned two smashes before leaving her opponent sprawling on the court.
Yamaguchi grabbed two quick points after Sindhu hit wide twice but the Indian then unleashed a jump cross court smash to again make it 15-15. Sindhu missed the line again and then Yamaguchi pushed the shuttle away at the back as the lead exchanged hands again.
A cross court return on the line earned Sindhu a point and she draw level when Yamaguchi's miscued drop shot went to the net. Sindhu produced a precise cross court smash but Yamaguchi unleashed a prompt return to serve to move to 19-18.
A couple of shots on her rival's backhand helped Sindhu claw back again at 19-19 but the Indian found the net next to hand over the championship point to Yamaguchi, who sealed it when the Indian's return got buried at the net.
2018
Thailand: Sindhu falls to Okuhara in final
Sindhu falls to Okuhara in final, July 16, 2018: The Times of India
Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu’s wait for her first title in 2018 got longer as she lost to Nozomi Okuhara of Japan 15-21, 18-21 in the final of the Thailand Open BWF World Tour Super 500 tournament in Bangkok on Sunday. Despite reaching three finals this year, Sindhu has failed to finish on the top of the podium.
The second seeded Indian was off colour against the World Champion as nothing worked right for her in the 50-minute contest. Sindhu was slow off the blocks while Okuhara picked up the pace and began with a 6-2 lead. With a couple of smashes Sindhu closed the gap to 4-6. At the mandatory break, Okuhara was slightly ahead at 11-8.
Okuhara did her best by not allowing the Indian to settle down. She made Sindhu move all over the court with deft drops and accurate drives.
The Indian tried to seize control by executing her trademark smashes but while some landed in, many went awry, allowing Okuhara to extend the lead to 17-13. Sindhu subsequently lost the first game.
In the second game, a determined Sindhu got off to a 6-2 lead only for the Japanese girl to comeback strong with a four-point burst. From then on both shuttlers worked hard for each point.
World Championships: Marin beats Sindhu in another final
August 6, 2018: The Times of India
From: August 6, 2018: The Times of India
PV Sindhu once again faltered at the final hurdle, losing to Carolina Marin 19-21, 10-21 in the World Badminton Championships in Nanjing on Sunday. With this victory, Marin created history as the only woman to win three world titles. This is Sindhu’s second silver and fourth medal at the Worlds. Indians have won eight medals at the Championships so far.
Marin was on a different plane this time, making her rivals gasp for breath with her terrific pace. However, Sindhu countered her well in the first game and even led Marin 15-11. It was here that Sindhu made a couple of mistakes allowing Marin to come up with a five-point burst. After reaching 16-15, the Spaniard dictated terms, controlled the pace and dominated the Indian. At 18-18, Marin produced a brilliant smash and followed it up with a clever crosscourt slice to move to 19-18. Sindhu then hit the bird wide. At 18-20, Sindhu saved a game point but hit the next into the net.
Marin was in rampaging form in the second set. She went up 5-0 and was leading 11-2 at the break. Hitting hard and finding gaps with ease, Marin hardly gave any space to the Indian. A rattled Sindhu tried hard to get back but the lead was too big to cover.
Momota makes history
Kento Momota became the first Japanese man to win the men's singles title at the Worlds. The 23-year-old outclassed China's Shi Yuqi 21-11, 21-13 in the final.
The world No. 2, who was suspended by his federation for more than a year after he was involved in a gambling scandal, came back with vengeance this year, capping it with the world title.
RESULTS (FINALS)
Women's singles: 7-Carolina Marin (ESP) bt PV Sindhu 21-19, 21-10.
Men's singles: 6-Kento Momota (Jpn) bt 3-Shi Yuqi (Chn) 21-11, 21-13.
Women's doubles: 11-Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara (Jpn) bt 2-Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota (Jpn) 19-21, 21-19, 22-20.
Men's doubles: 4-Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen (Chn) bt 5-Takeshi Kamura/Keigo Sonoda (Jpn) 21-12, 21-19.
2021
Bronze at the Olympics
Manne Ratnakar, August 2, 2021: The Times of India
PV Sindhu’s resolute quest for a second successive Olympic medal has paid off. Having shed the pain and disappointment of coming up short against Tai-Tzu Ying in the semifinals, Sindhu unleashed her aggressive best on the court on Sunday, decimating the challenge of China’s He Bing Jiao 21-13, 21-15 in the bronzemedal playoff. In doing so, the Rio silver medallist became the first Indian woman to win back-toback Olympic medals. Wrestler Sushil Kumar is the only other Indian with two Olympic medals.
That she had lost six of the last nine encounters against Bing Jiao did not stop Sindhu from asserting her superiority. She was hungry, animated, pumping her fists and looking to move in for the kill at the slightest opportunity.
Sindhu’s team told TOI that she was very upset after losing the semifinals. However, a few hours after working with the physio, Sindhu was fully charged and determined to give her best in the bronze-medal playoff. She slept early and was ready for the big match. It showed on court.
Sindhu has always delivered on the big stage. Her five medals at the World championships — including a gold and silver — apart from her show at the Olympics is testimony to her dedication.
The lead-up to Tokyo, however, was not smooth. She had parted ways with long-time coach Pullela Gopichand and relied on Korean Park Tae Sang and the Suchitra Badminton Academy.
She then shifted base to the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, got some sparring partners and worked on her fitness with trainer Srikant Verma. When she returned from England, she was not at her best but the hard work she had put in was on display in Tokyo. She looked fully fit and it helped in the way she moved around the court against Bing Jiao.
Known for her tactical acumen, the Chinese girl kept Sindhu moving all over the court with her deft touches at the net and deceitful pushes. Sindhu, however, was up to the challenge, stretching forward and rushing back to the centre of the court to keep the shuttle in play.
Sindhu dictated the pace for most part of the match. Whenever Bing Jiao looked like staging a comeback, India’s star shuttler would shut her out with power-packed smashes. So dominant was Sindhu that there were at least a dozen smash winners in the second game.
Up 5-2 after a confident start in the first game, Sindhu was ahead 11-8 at the break, then enhanced the lead to 14-8 before clinically finishing off the game. Sindhu was more aggressive in the second. Some of her down-the-line smashes were a delight to watch. The manner in which she ended a rally by packing more power in her drives unnerved Bing Jiao. Though Bing Jiao kept up with Sindhu till 14-16, the eventual winner took the game away with some sharp returns and quickly put the issue beyond doubt.
Coach Park’s hand in shaping Sindhu
Manne Ratnakar, August 2, 2021: The Times of India
Korean coach Park Tae Sang has had a ringside view of PV Sindhu’s matches in Tokyo, and he seemed to enjoy every moment of her bronzemedal effort. Sometimes, he was as animated as the player herself, pumping his fists or sighing in relief after a point won. Park, who will no doubt share the credit for Sindhu’s bronze-winning effort, is in fact the fourth coach to train Sindhu at this level.
Sindhu, who become a superstar under the tutelage of Pullela Gopichand, got her first foreign coach in Indonesian Mulyo Handoyo in 2017. Mulyo, however, left late that year and Sindhu got a new personal coach in Kim Ji Hyun of South Korea. Kim joined in March 2019 but left in September that year.
In came Korean Park, a former international. This was when Sindhu shifted her base from the Gopichand academy to Gachibowli. She also got sparring partners.
“Coach Park gave us the drills for Sindhu every day. Our team and Park planned her training,” said Pradeep Raju, Suchitra Academy.
Sindhu’s encouragement for Tai Tzu Ying
'LEFT ME IN TEARS: TAI TZU
Shattered after going down in the Olympics women’s singles final, world No. 1 badminton player Tai Tzu Ying has revealed that Sindhu’s words of encouragement after the medal ceremony left her in tears.
“After the match, I was satisfied with my performance. Later Sindhu ran over and hugged me, held my face, and told me: I know you’re uncomfortable and you’ve been very good, but today isn’t your day. Then she held me in her arms and said she knows all about it,” Tai Tzu wrote on her Instagram account. “That sincere encouragement, made me cry.” PTI
Sindhu in the finals
2016-July 2019
From: Manne Ratnakar, July 22, 2019: The Times of India
See graphic, ‘Sindhu in the finals, 2016-July 2019 ’
Indonesia Masters
2021
A
Sindhu progresses to Indonesia Masters quarterfinals:
Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu registered a brilliant come-from-behind victory against Spain’s Clara Azurmendi to advance to the quarterfinals of the Indonesia Masters Super 750 badminton tournament in Bali.Playing against the world no 47 Azurmendi for the first time, Sindhu, who is seeded third, took 47 minutes to record a 17-21 21-7 21-12 in the women’s singles second round clash.
B
Sindhu to face Japan’s Yamaguchi in semis
Bali: Shuttler PV Sindhu registered a dominant straight games win over Turkey's Neslihan Yigit to enter the women's singles semifinals of the Indonesia Masters Super 750 badminton tournament here on Friday. Sindhu, who won 21-13 21-10, will now face top seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan.
C: Sindhu loses semi-finals
Sindhu exits Indonesia meet
Bali: Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu crashed out of the Indonesia Masters Super 750 badminton tournament after suffering a straight game defeat in the semifinals against Japanese top seed Akane Yamaguchi. Even though Sindhu had a superior 12-7 head-to-head record against the Japanese shuttler going into Friday’s tie, having won both the meetings between the two this year, the Indian was no match for her rival, losing 13-21, 9-21 in a one-sided duel that lasted just 32 minutes. Sindhu, seeded third, was not at her usual best and trailed her Japanese opponent from the start in both the games.
A Day In Sindhu's Life
Aug 20 2016 : Manne Ratnakar The Times of India (Delhi)
3.30 AM:
Former Indian volleyball captain PV Ramana wakes up to the alarm. He gets ready in 15 minutes and arrives at the Pullela Gopichand Academy along with his daughter PV Sindhu. Even though he retired from the sport more than a decade ago, Ramana is still going through the grind only to help his daughter. He shuttles between academy and home three to four times until he retires for the day at 9.30 p.m. This is more or less the schedule for Ramana and his wife Vijaya. The parents, both employed with the Railways, endured even tougher schedules when they lived in Secunderabad. Every day they had to travel about 60 km between Secunderabad and Gachibowli to take Sindhu to the academy.
7.10 AM:
The coach and her parents are working on the mental strength of Sindhu. “She needs to be very strong mentally,“ said Ramana, waiting in the sitting room at the academy. Sindhu returns from the court after a hard first session training, walks past her father into the coach's room. Gopi hands her a recording. Sindhu puts on her earphones and slips into a corner to perform certain yogasanas and yoganidhra.
7.40 AM:
Sindhu comes out of the coach's room and joins her father. Both of them go home for breakfast and return by 9 am.
9 AM:
Sindhu is back at the academy.Training continues till noon. The duo goes back home for lunch. During the break, Sindhu relaxes a bit. She likes watching programmes like `Bathuku Jatka Bandi' which are related to the lives of people.
3.30 PM:
Sindhu is back at the academy after a short nap with father in tow.
7.30 PM:
Back home after three hours of training. Has dinner with parents and spends time in front of TV.
FAVOURITE FOOD:
Kheema Roti and if permitted biryani; but there are severe restrictions on her diet
PASTIME WATCHING
Telugu movies.
FAVOURITE STARS:
Prabhas and Mahesh Babu.
LOVES TV:
If given a chance Sindhu would watch TV all night. But her parents enforce a regime for her sake and Sindhu, though, she doesn't like it, follows the rules, and prefers to sleep by her mother's side.
Style
With a methodical style of play, considered to be defensive — building up with long rallies to lay seize to a point as and when an opening arises, she has evolved remarkably well to streamline her method towards winning. When an athlete makes his or her way up the ladder, all keen and purposeful, with built-up character and technical refinement in tow, it is some morale-boosting victories, high on magnitude, that renders them more confident and replete with self-belief.
November 2016: Wins maiden Super Series (China Open)
PTI |PV Sindhu wins maiden China Open Super Series title, Nov 20, 2016
Sindhu registered a hard-fought 21-11, 17-21, 21-11 victory
PV Sindhu clinched her maiden Super Series Premier title after edging out Sun Yu of China in the final of the $700,000 China Open badminton tournament on Sunday.
Sindhu lifted the prestigious title after beating Sun 21-11, 17-21, 21-11 in the summit clash that lasted an hour and nine minutes.
World No. 11 Sindhu had come into the match with a 2-3 head-to-head record but then statistics counted little when she took the court at the Haixia Olympic Sports Center.
