PV Sindhu Shines in Paris Olympics Opener, Highlights Training with Prakash Padukone

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Indian badminton star and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu launched her Paris Olympics 2024 campaign with a decisive victory over Fathimath Abdul Razzaq of Maldives. Sindhu, seeded 10th, demonstrated her prowess by swiftly defeating her world No. 111 opponent in straight games, 21-9, 21-6, taking just 29 minutes to secure her win in the Group M fixture.

This strong start sets the tone for Sindhu, who has previously won a silver medal in the Rio 2016 Olympics and a bronze in Tokyo 2020. Her next challenge will be against World No. 75 Kristin Kuuba of Estonia on Wednesday, July 31.

Reflecting on her performance, Sindhu expressed satisfaction with her initial match, emphasizing the significance of returning to the Olympic stage. She mentioned how the atmosphere and court conditions played a crucial role in her preparation.

"It was a good start, and I was getting used to the court and the atmosphere. It's been three years, and I'm back here. This is a very special one for me because 2016 was very different, 2020 was different, and this is like a mixture of both. I'm very happy to be here again, and the atmosphere has been amazing. It was good to play in front of the crowd, and I'm really looking forward to the next one."

In August 2023, Sindhu joined forces with former World No.1 Prakash Padukone at his academy in Bengaluru. This partnership has been pivotal in her preparation for the Paris Olympics following a series of disappointing results. She highlighted the impact of Padukone’s mentorship on her training and overall performance.

"Well, I've been with Prakash Padukone for more than six months now, and it is going well. I'm training in Bangalore at the moment, and everything is coming together. I think it's important that, as a coach, your team and you need to understand and work together. That's been working out really well. Prakash sir, being a legend himself, is very experienced. When I play on the court, he just tells me what's required and what I need to change. Whatever I have, he just adds to it, asking me how I feel, and accordingly, we work on that.”

Sindhu also spoke about her focus on technical improvements and the importance of mental health in achieving peak performance. She explained how recovering from an injury had necessitated adjustments in her movement and overall game strategy.

"There are some add-ons in terms of my movement because I was a bit injured and was not moving well on the court. Sometimes, after an injury, it gets hard to get that movement back. We worked on that, on strokes, not only just net or defense but overall. When you come to a big tournament, you need to be at 100% in every stroke and every movement. So, we've been working on that."

Emphasizing the mental aspect of the game, Sindhu added, "Talking about mental health, I think it's very important to be mentally strong and positive. At times, you have bad days, and it worked out perfectly. Everyone has days where they don't know what's happening and feel like everything is gone from them. But overall, I'm happy."

Sindhu on her experience of being India’s flag bearer at the Paris Olympics 2024

Sindhu had the honor of being the flag bearer for India at the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics alongside Sharath Kamal. This historic event, held for the first time outdoors as a boat parade on the River Seine, was a moment of immense pride for Sindhu. She described the experience as unforgettable.

"It was amazing. It was a very beautiful moment, one I can never forget in my life. It's a one-time experience, and not everybody gets that chance. I got the opportunity to lead the team by holding the flag. It was an amazing experience and a very proud moment, not only for me but for all Indians. When you're keeping your flag high and leading the team, it's an amazing feeling."