Two-time Olympic medallist shuttler Star shuttler PV Sindhu is confident of changing the colour of her medal as she prepares for the forthcoming Paris Games, distancing herself from all distractions faraway in Germany.
Sindhu, who is only the second Indian and first woman athlete from the country to bag consecutive Olympic medals after seasoned grappler Sushil Kumar, said she will be banking on her experience heading into Paris while asserting that it isn’t impossible to win a hatrick of medals in the quadrennial showpiece event.
“It’s not impossible to win my third medal in the Olympics. I have learnt a lot from my mistakes. I have to give my 100 percent. You need to be smart and really work hard. (I am) not overconfident, but definitely wiser and smarter and hoping to win another medal,” Sindhu said.
The 28-year-old is presently undergoing training at the Hermann-Neuberger Sportschule located in Saarbrucken, Germany. She is expected to directly fly to Paris from Saarbrucken once the Olympic Games start from July 26.
Sindhu’s road to the quadrennial showpiece hasn’t been a cakewalk as the World No. 12 has struggled to register consistent victories against top-ranked players. But despite the challenges, she managed to finish runner-up in the Malaysia Masters super 500 tournament.
“It took me some time to come back (from injury) and I feel that now I’m doing well. Coming to the finals is not an easy thing. And, finishing matches, not finishing matches, it depends on how we play,” she told select media during an interaction jointly hosted by SAI, BAI and IOA.
“I have learnt to be a lot more patient, especially from the Asian circuit before this Olympics. There would be no more short duration matches, no more expectation of easy points and no match being considered over, despite having a big lead, till the match is actually won,” she explained.
“Olympics is a different kind of challenge, though it gives you more time to prepare unlike other major Super Series events. I am conscious of the fact that I can do much better. It is not that I am not able to finish off matches. Yes, you lose matches despite what looks like winning leads and sometimes you end up winning despite trailing. So, my focus will be consistency,” she said on her recent indifferent form.
Acknowledging the fact that she will be closely followed by fans and fellow shuttlers when she starts her campaign in Paris, the Hyderabadi feels she needs to smartly devise her strategy. She hopes to take the positives from her previous Olympic campaigns when she lands in Paris.
“Obviously, I can’t do what I did in those two editions. I know all eyes will be on me. (I) need to be smarter. I should know that it is not going to be any easy matches for sure. But the big plus is I have the experience on my side and I am really patient enough now for the big challenges,” she said.
“The game has changed a lot now. (There are) more rallies now with emphasis on strong defence. So every player is very strong, mentally and physically prepared for those long matches,” she added.
On being asked if she has prepared a rough plan on how to tackle different opponents, Sindhu said, “Every day might not be your day. So, I have to give my best against every opponent, and not take it easy. The styles and strategies for each player will be different. Since we have time, we prepare better. I am experienced, mentally and physically stronger now.”
Sindhu also expressed her gratitude to legendary shuttler and her current coach Prakash Padukone for his constructive feedback and inputs on the technical aspects of her game.
“Prakash sir has been watching my matches, and provided valuable inputs if he spots any shortcomings. He wants me to cut down on unforced errors, keep the shuttle in the court and play freely,” Sindhu said as she eyes overall improvement rather than working on a few areas in her hunt for a third straight Olympic medal.