Have to learn a lot more, says PV Sindhu

Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu, who made the country proud by winning the silver medal at the recently concluded World Badminton Championships, has insisted that she has a lot more to learn.

The Rio Olympic silver-medallist gave it her all in the breathtaking final of the women's singles event, but she had to eventually settle for the silver at the World Championships.

In a close summit showdown that lasted for one hour and 50 minute, the longest match of the tournament so far, Sindhu lost 19-21, 22-20, 20-22 to Nozomi Okuhara of Japan.

Speaking on the sidelines of the felicitation ceremony where Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel, Kidambi Srikanth, Saina Nehwal and national coach Pullela Gopichand was present on Thursday, Sindhu told ANI, "From the first point, it was very tuff. World Championships final is never easy. Even she was not leaving any shuttle. Every point was equally tough. There were long rallies. So, nobody was leaving the shuttle. Until the last point, I thought it was not over."

 

It was the third medal for Sindhu in the World Championships. She had won bronze twice in the 2013 and 2014 editions.

Sindhu also became the only second Indian to reach the finals of World Championship after Saina achieved that feat in the last edition of the tournament at Jakarta.

"Last two times I won the bronze medals. This time I have changed the colour. But, I am a bit upset somewhere. Nevermind, 'haar jeet to hoti rehti hai'. Ups and downs are always there. But, I have to learn a lot more," she added.

Sindhu, who has been in a rampaging form ever since her Rio Olympics final defeat to Spain's Carolina Marin, had earlier clinched her maiden Super Series Premier title at China Open last year before winning the India Super Series in April. She also won the Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold in January.

Meanwhile, Srikanth, whose 13-match unbeaten streak was snapped by South Korea's Son Wan Ho at the World Championships in Glasgow, also seemed content with his overall performance in the year.

The eighth-seeded slumped to a 14-21, 18-21 defeat at the hands of world number one Wan Ho in an exhilarating last-eight clash that lasted 49 minutes.

"I really had a good 2017 so far. I really played well at the World Championships. It was just an unfortunate loss. But, I am happy with the way the World Championships happened for me. I played very well. I have no regrets," Srikanth said.

The ace Indian shuttler further revealed that he doesn't make long term plans and focuses on the very next tournament which is there in the schedule.

"I almost play about 16-17 tournaments every year. If you take it from now, it's like 35 tournaments before I go into the Olympics. So, it's a long time. I really want to focus on three months or two months or may be the next tournament that I am playing. I really want to keep it short. I don't want to think about 2020 I am focused on playing well in the next one month," he said.

Nehwal, who also made the nation proud by bagging bronze at the World Championships, expressed happiness at the way she made her return to professional badminton after nursing a knee injury.

"Overall, I am very happy with the medal. It was a great comeback for me. It was a tough draw for me because I was unseeded. I had to play world number two in the second round," she said.

"It was an amazing tournament and I was pretty much happy with the way I play three-four tough matches back to back. Unfortunately, I lost against Okuhara in the three setters. But I am very happy that I could play such tough matches with all the players and I comeback with a medal," she added.

The Hyderabadi shuttler further said all she wants is to stay fit in the near future so that she can deliver much more improved performances and win more medals for the nation.

"It gives me confidence that my knee is much better and I am feeling much confident on the court. I would like to stay fit in the future and not get injured and I hope the results follow soon," she said.