PV Sindhu confirmed for BWF World Tour Finals 2019
World Champion PV Sindhu gets another shot at glory.
PV Sindhu will carry the hopes of India at the BWF World Tour Finals 2019 after the line-ups for the season-ending finale were released on Monday.
Amongst the eight players who will compete for the women's singles title at the World Tour Finals, Sindhu will be the lowest ranked.
Despite her current world tour ranking of fifteen, Sindhu qualified because the current World Champion gains automatic entry.
It was back in August this year that Sindhu became the first Indian to win the Badminton World Championships, defeating Nozomi Okuhara in just 38 minutes.
PV Sindhu World Tour Final title defence
Post the triumph though, the shuttler observed a massive dip in form as she fell out of the China Open in September, and a similar result followed at the French Open a month later, where Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei emerged victorious in what was a rather thrilling encounter.
While some have suggested that fatigue played a bit part in Sindhu’s slump, given that she had a tight schedule after the World Championships, it is also suggested that the departure of her coach Kim Ji Hyun has also played a part.
Sindhu enters the World Tour Finals as a defending champion, having gotten the better of Okuhara in straight sets in last year’s final. After being slotted in Group A, Sindhu went on to defeat Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi and USA’s Zhang Beiwen in the group stages before defeating Ratchanok Intanon in the semifinals.
The competition this time around though might prove tougher, given the form Sindhu is in right now. However, if history is anything to go by, expect the Rio 2016 silver medalist to strike when it matters the most.
Meanwhile, the BWF World Tour Finals, which offer the biggest prize pool ever seen in badminton – USD 1.5 million – sees defending champions Li Jun Hui/Liu Yu Chen (men’s doubles), and Wang Yi Lyu/Huang Dong Ping (mixed doubles) back in the lineup, while the current World No. 1 Kento Momota also gets a highlight.
PV Sindhu's rivals for title in Guangzhou
Here's the full list of players who will compete for the women's singles title at the BWF World Tour Finals:
- Chen Yu Fei (China)
- Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand)
- Akane Yamaguchi (Japan)
- Nozomi Okuhara (Japan)
- Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei)
- He Bing Jiao (China)
- Busanan Ongbamrungphan (Thailand)
- PV Sindhu (India)
The draw for the tournament will be held on Monday 9th December.
The action gets underway on Wednesday 11th December.