Two-time silver medallist P V Sindhu was left speechless after her agonising wait for the elusive gold finally ended with a maiden World Championship title here on Sunday.
Sindhu became the first Indian to win World Championships gold by thrashing familiar rival Nozomi Okuhara of Japan 21-7 21-7 in one of the most lop-sided finals ever.
Two years after being robbed of the gold by Okuhara in an epic 110-minute final that went down as one of the greatest battles in badminton history, Sindhu finally exorcised the ghost of that heart-wrenching loss with a dominating win over the same opponent.
"I am really very happy. I have waited for this victory and finally I have become a world champion," Sindhu told reporters.
"I have no words to express, because I have been waiting for so long. Last time, it was silver, before that it was silver and finally I am a world champion so I am
really really happy. I have been expecting this for a very long time. So I got it finally and I want to enjoy it, feel it."
"I dedicate this win to my mom, its her birthday today. I thought I will gift her something and finally I gift her this gold medal. It is because of my parents that I am here today."
"Winning and losing is secondary but for me just going to the court and giving my 100 percent is very important."
"I was very confident even though I was giving one or two points, then I was getting those points back and finally I did it."