‘Definitely going to play for the next couple of years’: PV Sindhu confirms her future plans | Badminton News

P.V. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, confirmed her plans to continue playing badminton for the next few years, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind. Her recent victory at the Syed Modi International badminton tournament ended a title drought and brought her relief.
Sindhu hopes this win marks a new phase of success in her career. The 29-year-old former world champion acknowledges that staying injury-free is crucial as she moves forward.
“This (win) will definitely give me a lot of confidence. Being 29 is an advantage in many ways because I have a lot of experience. Being smart and experienced is key, and I’m definitely going to play for the next couple of years.”
Sindhu recognizes the benefits of experience at her age. She emphasizes the importance of strategic play and plans to continue competing. Her primary focus remains on injury prevention.
“My main goal is to stay injury-free, which is very, very important. Los Angeles (Olympics) is still too far away. I will definitely play, but the main thing is staying injury-free and enjoying the sport. If I stay fit, then why not?”
While the Los Angeles Olympics are a long-term goal, Sindhu intends to participate if she remains fit. She defeated China’s Wu Luo Yu in the Syed Modi International final, securing her third title in this tournament. Her previous wins were in 2017 and 2022.
“I’m very happy that I’m finishing off with a win. Now it’s time to just go back, relax, and start again from January. I hope this is a comeback, and I’m looking forward to many more victories.”
Sindhu expresses her happiness at ending the year with a victory. She plans to rest and prepare for upcoming tournaments in Malaysia, India, Indonesia, and Thailand.
“I’ll be playing the upcoming tournaments in Malaysia, India, Indonesia, and Thailand. Obviously, we’ll have to pick and choose tournaments because I’ll have to be smart enough to decide what to play and what not. I need to be much smarter in terms of that.”
Sindhu will carefully select tournaments to manage her schedule and fitness. Her previous title was at the Singapore Open in July 2022. She was also a finalist at the Malaysia Masters Super 500 earlier this year. However, she experienced a pre-quarterfinal exit at the Paris Olympics.
“Sometimes I was really close yet so far away. I had good matches in the past, but they didn’t turn into wins. I came back, fought harder, and it was important for me to get this win. Yes, I am relieved. I mean, it’s the end of the year, and finishing off with a win makes me really grateful.”
Sindhu reflects on past near misses and expresses gratitude for her recent win. Lakshya Sen, the 2021 World Championships bronze medalist, won the men’s singles final against Singapore’s Jia Heng Jason Teh.
“I am really happy with the way I had prepared and how I played the match. I hope to do well in the tournaments next year. I have some time now till the new season, which will allow me to train and focus on the upcoming events.”
Sen expresses satisfaction with his preparation and performance. He looks forward to the next season and plans to utilize the time for training. The Indian women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won their first Super 300 title. They defeated China’s Bao Li Jing and Li Qian.
“We really wanted to win, we were aggressive and kept moving well. There was a strategy, and we implemented it well today. We plan to go with the flow and see what the future holds. We don’t want to make too many plans.”
Gayatri and Treesa highlight their aggressive strategy and successful implementation. They prefer to remain adaptable for future tournaments. This victory boosts their confidence ahead of the BWF World Tour Finals in China, where they are the sole Indian representatives.
“This is our first gold, and it’s a great boost for both of us. It has given us a lot of confidence, and we are looking forward to the World Tour Finals now.”
The pair view their win as a significant confidence booster for the upcoming World Tour Finals. They are the first Indian women’s doubles team to win the Syed Modi International title. They were runners-up in 2022.
“The first game was close, but we listened to our coaches, corrected ourselves, and executed the plans. At this level, there is always pressure, and we managed it well.”
Treesa and Gayatri credit their coaches for helping them adjust their strategy during the match. They acknowledge the pressure at this level of competition and their ability to handle it effectively.