Parental support is very important: PV Sindhu’s advice for aspiring shuttlers
After a surprising early loss in Thailand, Sindhu feels there's more to learn from defeats than wins
‘Losses are as important as wins’ is an adage that rings true, especially in a sporting sense. Star Indian shuttler PV Sindhu knows that only too well, having learnt more from her failures than from the considerable success she has had.
But equally important for young, aspiring athletes to fulfill their dreams is parental support, states Sindhu.
Parents need to emotionally support their kids who are passionate about sport for them to fulfill their potential and dreams.
"I would like to say to all the young juniors that parental support is very important,” Sindhu told IANS. “When I started playing badminton, my parents supported me a lot. And (I feel parents) need to understand what their kid is interested in and support them in that particular thing.”
Success won’t come quick or easy in any sport, states Sindhu. She advises them to get ready for losses as well and learn from them instead of losing confidence.
“(Another thing is) When you start, you lose some and you win some. When you lose, it is always a sad thing (because) you always want to win. That doesn't happen. But you will learn a lot more from your losses," she shared.
"I have learnt a lot more from my losses, and you need to come back stronger the next time,” she added.
The Rio 2016 silver medallist was speaking after a surprise defeat in the opening round of the Thailand Open earlier this week. In what was her first competitive tournament after the All England Championship in March 2020, the reigning world champion went down to Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt.
The 25-year-old, however, is not perturbed and is just focusing on improving her game ahead of Tokyo 2020.
“I am excited to be back on court," she noted before adding, "(I’m) just focusing on my badminton right now".
Immediate results are not Sindhu’s priority as the world slowly gets used to the new normal after the Coronavirus pandemic halted sports and forced the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics.
"Last year around March and April, we were getting ready for the Olympics. Unfortunately that got postponed. I was a bit sad, but then I took it in a positive way thinking I now had a lot more time to learn, rectify my mistakes and work on my strokes'. So, that way (I learnt) to stay positive and move forward."
Staying positive and being patient are virtues that Sindhu is relying on as she enters the Olympic year.
“I learnt a lot last year. The first thing was patience, because we had no tournaments for a couple of months. We couldn't step out or play badminton, and we needed to have patience.
“I spent a lot more time with my family because (earlier) all the time was spent travelling to tournaments and back. This was the first time I spent a lot more time with my family. I was training at home. One thing I've learned is patience, and being positive all the time.”