Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu’s lack of consistency after getting back from an harm shouldn’t be a explanation for “concern”, feels chief nationwide badminton coach Pullela Gopichand.
Sindhu suffered yet one more first spherical exit on Tuesday when she misplaced to world no 1 Akane Yamaguchi within the Singapore Open.
“She’s very young in saying that she’s just 26-27. It’s a good age, there is no reason for concern,” Gopichand advised PTI in a digital interplay.
A silver medallist on the 2016 Rio Olympics and bronze winner within the Tokyo Games, Sindhu suffered an ankle harm in August final yr to be slipped out of top-10 within the BWF girls’s singles rankings. She remained out of motion for 4 months due to that harm.
Sindhu’s remaining and semi-final end at Madrid Spain Masters and Malaysia Masters respectively have been her greatest outcomes this season. She reached a low with a primary spherical exit on the Thailand Open when she misplaced to Cananda’s Michell Li.
But Gopichand, a former All England champion who guided Sindhu since she was 10 until she turned an Olympic medallist, firmly believed she would bounce again stronger.
“She has come out on top in the six-eight months. She is starting to play well. I do expect her to play well in future. She is definitely one of India’s bets for the future,” Gopichand stated.
Terming it a combined season for Sindhu, Gopichand stated: “It’s the start of the season and starting of Olympic qualification. The outcomes have been combined up to now.
“We have a lot of pressure on players to perform. We have to just back them up and hope that they are playing the big tournaments.”
The excessive level of the season for Indian badminton was HS Prannoy’s title win on the Malaysia Masters final month, the 30-year-old’s first males’s singles triumph since 2017 US Open.
“From our perspective usually, Prannoy profitable in Malaysia was one which’s one thing I’m actually pleased about. it’s the start of the season, it’s early.
“We have not done well at the Sudirman Cup, it was kind of a negative note. Lakshya Sen did well to get to the semifinals in Thailand, and I do believe that the next few weeks will be very critical and we have big tournaments coming up,” stated the 49-year-old Gopichand.
The high shuttlers of the nation are at present coaching with private coaches. Sindhu is coaching with Vidhi Chuadhary, whereas the struggling Kidambi Srikkanth has roped in Wiempie Mahardi of Indonesia with an eye fixed on Paris Olympics subsequent yr.
“In general, the rigours of having to play back-to-back, players have started to feel that they need personal coaches,” stated Gopichand.
“If one has gained then all people begins to consider that they do want one. This is one thing that has been taking place.
“In the Olympic year, it’s everybody’s need to have that personal attention. I think it’s a trend that has started, many also follow it in other sports. I’m okay with that.”
Advisor of Indian Padel Federation
Gopichand will now be seen selling padel sport as an advisor. The racket sport combines tennis and squash and is relatively new to India. It is nicknamed ‘Tennis with Walls’ and ‘Squash in the Sun’.
“I first noticed the game in Dubai and located it very energetic, a number of enjoyable, and really interactive.
“We at the Academy have a running track and in between the track we have some space and thought padel will be a right fit for it,” he stated.
The badminton ace feels the game has the potential to turn into standard in India.
“I do consider as a sport a number of the issues that are vital are the essential stage. I believe it’s simple to select up however robust to grasp.
“It’s a sport in which everybody can try their hands and that’s what makes the sport with a very low entry barrier. Everybody has the possibility of playing the sport,” he added.