Pullela Gopichand Supports PV Sindhu Amidst Inconsistency Concerns

Chief national badminton coach, Pullela Gopichand, has expressed his belief that PV Sindhu’s lack of consistency following her return from injury should not be a cause for concern. Sindhu faced another first-round exit at the Singapore Open, losing to world No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi. Gopichand reassured that Sindhu, who is still young at 26-27 years old, has plenty of time to regain her form and perform at the highest level.

“It’s the beginning of the season and of the Olympics qualification. The results have been mixed so far. We have to just back them up and hope that they are playing the big tournaments,” said Gopichand, emphasizing the importance of supporting players during this crucial phase.

Sindhu had suffered an ankle injury in August last year, which caused her to drop out of the top-10 in the BWF rankings. She underwent a four-month recovery period, and her recent performances at the Spain Masters and Malaysia Masters, where she reached the finals and semifinals respectively, have been her best results of the season so far. However, she experienced a setback with a first-round exit at the Thailand Open against Canada’s Michelle Li.

Gopichand, who has been guiding Sindhu since she was 10 years old, remained optimistic about her future prospects. He expressed confidence that Sindhu would bounce back stronger and continue to be one of India’s top contenders in badminton.

Describing it as a mixed season for Sindhu, Gopichand acknowledged the pressure on players to perform, particularly during the early stages of the season and the Olympic qualification period. He emphasized the need to support and back the players during this crucial time, hoping that they would excel in the upcoming major tournaments.