PV Sindhu: Tokyo won't be easy but want to see myself with the medal

Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu expects to be pushed to the limit at the Tokyo Olympics in July this year but has already started to visualize herself winning the gold medal.

The Rio 2016 silver medallist and reigning women's world champion is already looking forward to the massive Olympic year.

“I am planning well for the Olympics. Definitely, everybody wants to give their 100 per cent to get that medal. I want to see myself getting the (gold) medal in Tokyo and I am working hard for it," PV Sindhu told ANI.

“For the Olympics, it's definitely going to be tough, but I will make sure to give my best,” she added.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 25-year-old Sindhu has been away from competitive action since the All England Open in March.

But she has been training in England under the watchful eyes of former Olympian and European champion Rajiv Ouseph in order to keep herself ready for the Tokyo Games.

PV Sindhu is expected to get back on the court at the Yonex Thailand Open and Toyota Thailand Open in Bangkok later this month, as the Badminton World Federation (BWF) calendar resumes with the Asian Tour after the COVID-enforced break.

“My training is going really well and I am eagerly waiting for upcoming tournaments. I have got enough time to train and hopefully, I will do my best in the Thailand tournaments. 

“It's not going to be easy but before that, I have a couple of tournaments, starting from January. So, it is step by step; one at a time,” she stated.

PV Sindhu has been handed favourable first-round draws at the January tournaments. She will face Danish shuttler Mia Blichfeldt in the women’s singles first round at the Yonex Thailand Open, which begins on January 12.

At the Toyota Thailand Open, beginning January 19, the sixth-seed will be up against Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan in her first match.

With badminton coming back from such a long break, the Indian ace reckoned mental toughness will be key.

“Sometimes, things might not go as you wish. You tend to make mistakes, unforced errors. But, you have to just let them go off your mind, not take them to heart,” PV Sindhu told the Sportstar.

“You might not find the rhythm straight away, but I am sure I will get it sooner. It doesn’t matter if you lose a point. You have to just shut it out and move on.”