Badminton: PV Sindhu eyes medals in CWG, Asian Games and top 6 in 2014
New Delhi: Brimming with confidence after a successful season, P.V. Sindhu now wants to win medals at her maiden Commonwealth and Asian Games and said she will look to end the year within the top 6 bracket.
Sindhu showed her worth as the next big sensation in Indian badminton when she won the bronze medal at the World Championship in China and also clinched two Grand Prix Gold titles -- Malaysia and Macau -- last year.
She made a good start to 2014, finishing runners-up in Syed Modi International at Lucknow and winning the All India Senior ranking in Kochi and the 18-year-old has now set her eyes on the All England Badminton Championship (March 4-9).
"It is a tight schedule this year, there are back to back tournaments. The whole February, I was free and so I worked on my strokes and defence," Sindhu told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of a Li Ning showroom here.
"My preparations are going on well for All England and I will give my best. All england is a very important tournament and my aim is to reach the semifinals at least."
Talking about the upcoming tournaments, Sindhu said: "I had a good start to 2014 and I hope I do better in the further tournaments. Next month, I will play All England and Swiss Open. It will be followed by Super Series events and then Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
"Gopi sir will decide which events to play. I'm excited it would be first time I would play in Commonwealth Games and I'll give my best. I think this time we can better our Commonwealth results and win more medals."
Asked about ranking, Sindhu, who recently signed a two-year contract with Li Ning, said: "I wish to win many tournaments. I have been winning medals but I have to improve a lot. I want to see myself around number 7 or 6 in the world by end of this year."
The Thomas and Uber Cup Finals will be held in New Delhi from May 18 to 25 and Sindhu hoped to do well in the prestigious tournament.
"I hope to do well in Uber cup, we'll do our best. I played well last time. So hope for the best," said the world number 10 Indian."
But the Arjun Awardee shuttler said she will have to be more consistent and work on her strokes.
"I have to work on consistency and maintain my ranking. It's just the starting of my career. I have to improve a lot on all my strokes. I need to be confident of using my strokes in match situations. My net play have informed," she said.
Sindhu lost to top shuttler Saina Nehwal in the finals of the Syed Modi International event, besides losing twice in the Indian badminton League in August last year.
Asked how she plans to tackle her senior opponent next time, Sindhu said she will have to be more aggressive.
"I think comparatively, I have played better in Syed Modi then IBL. I have to play more rallies and attack her. She didn't allow me to attack more. But next time, I have to play more aggressive, fight it out and not take it easy. She is an experienced played but I have to give 100 per cent," he said.
Besides Sindhu, 2010 Commonwealth Games Gold medallists Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa are also the brand ambassadors of Li Ning.
Sindhu said: "I am delighted with this new partnership in the beginning of the year. Li Ning is a renowned sporting brand in badminton and manufacture high quality products. I am feeling comfortable with their equipments and apparels."
