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P V Sindhu gears up for Uber event

After winning bronze at Asia Championship, Sindhu sets her eyes on Uber Cup

Hyderabad: Fresh from winning the bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Gimcheon, Korea, P.V. Sindhu has set her eyes on the Uber Cup which gets underway in the national capital on Sunday. Sindhu looks to continue her attacking style at the Uber Cup. “The Uber Cup is really important for all of us. We need to stick together and back ourselves to advance into the next round. Playing for the country is always a special feeling and I would look to stick to my attacking style of play and help the team win,” she told this newspaper.

Popular belief is that taller sportspersons have an advantage over their opponents. The 5-foot-10.5-inches tall Sindhu feels otherwise. “Yes, I use my height to my advantage in the game as I can reach for the shuttle faster and play the long court shots easily. But at the same time my opponents make me run around the court and drop it short, which is a bit difficult to return. So it’s both ways for me,” Sindhu added. The Hyderabad girl cherishes her World championship medal. “The bronze medal was a sweet victory for me. Of course I wanted to get into the semifinals but unfortunately lost to (World No.2) Shixian Wang,” she said.

Sindhu won the first game 21-15 before going down 20-22, 12-21. “The match went down to the wire and I had my chances, but it’s okay. At the end of the day one has to win and one has to lose. I have learnt a lot from that particular match and the tournament. I have put the loss behind me and am gearing up for the Uber Cup,” the 18-year-old said. Sindhu might be in her teens but she has already created a niche in the badminton fraternity by finding a way to get past the Chinese wall. She enjoys a better head to head record over Wang. “The Chinese are not tough to beat. The better player on the day wins the game,” a modest Sindhu says.

To play at the highest level and keep at it takes a lot more than just hard work. One has to be mentally as well as physically fit. For Sindhu, it is always a constant battle between her body and mind. She’s up for it though. “During the game all I do is think about the next point. I train really hard on my game and at the same time I look to be at peace with myself. If I can’t focus on the game then I am in big trouble,” she admits.

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