Brushing aside the disappointment of not winning even a single major after being crowned the World champion in August, shuttler P.V. Sindhu is determined to finish the year on a high in the BWF World Tour Finals, to be held at Guangzhou (China) from December 11 to 16.
The 24-year-old Sindhu, who is the defending champion and the only Indian in the fray, is not bothered about the poor run after the gold in the Worlds. She insists she has been playing well, but it is not possible to win every tournament.
“There have been a lot of ups and downs this year, which is not yet over for me. Apparently, the Worlds gold was the high-point as it has been a truly brilliant performance,” Sindhu said in an exclusive chat with The Hindu at Gopi Chand Academy here on Wednesday.
“I don’t think the tag of being a World champion and also going there to defend the title would mean any pressure. I would just like to treat it like any other major even while being fully focussed and keen to repeat last year’s performance,” Sindhu said.
Fresh challenges
“The BWF Finals throw fresh challenges and I am prepared for them, thanks to more than two weeks of training. I did focus on some of the mistakes I committed. I am much stronger mentally and physically now.
“Everyone knows about my game now and I have to change accordingly, though it doesn’t neccessarily mean anything drastic. A bit of adjustments technique-wise against some of the top players should help my cause.
Sindhu added that the new coach Park Tae Sang, whom she has known for a long time, is helping her in becoming a much better player. “He is giving some really important tips and I hope to get the results soon.”
About her biggest challenge, Sindu said: “Every match in any tournament is important as there is little that separates the top-eight or 10 in the world. The onus is on us to keep improving all the time.”
Sindhu doesn’t believe her poor run has anything to do with the hectic international schedule. “You can’t do anything. Have to plan, train and play accordingly. Ultimately, you have to be consistent to be a champion. My ultimate goal is to win the Olympics gold for sure,” Sindu signed off with a big smile.
